Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka to Host Tournament as India Refuses to Travel to Pakistan

We have a latest update about Asia Cup 2023. According to a report by the Indian media , Sri Lanka is set to host this year’s Asia Cup after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to let its team travel to Pakistan for the tournament. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reportedly had an informal meeting on the matter, during which Sri Lanka was voted as an ideal destination to host the tournament.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have reportedly agreed to play the event in the island country, and a final decision will be announced by the end of this month.

The Asia Cup’s shift from Pakistan might lead to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) boycotting the event this year. The PCB had offered a hybrid model for hosting the Asia Cup, according to which only India’s matches would be hosted in Dubai.

However, the BCCI did not agree to this model citing the concerns of member boards and broadcasters. Additionally, the boards have reservations about playing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid extremely hot weather.

If the Asia Cup gets cancelled or India sets up a five-nation tournament as a replica of the Asian event, Pakistan will play a bilateral or triangular series in a bid to prepare for the ICC World Cup in India.

According to sources, the PCB has started contacting different boards, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and West Indies. South Africa and Zimbabwe are the two teams who will be free in the Asia Cup window in September this year, according to the Future Tours Program (FTP).

It must be noted that Australia, New Zealand, and England have packed schedules during the Asia Cup window. However, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will be busy in the case of India’s five-nation tournament. The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in a 50-over format, which will help teams prepare for the ICC World Cup this year in India.