Lahore, June 16, 2023 – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee chairman Najam Sethi confirmed on Saturday that the national team will play at least two Asia Cup 2023 matches at home.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced on Thursday that it had accepted the PCB’s hybrid model for the tournament, which will see four matches played in Pakistan and the remaining nine in Sri Lanka.
India will not be traveling to Pakistan for the tournament due to security concerns, so their matches will be played in Sri Lanka. This means that Pakistan’s only group match in their country could be against Nepal. The other three matches in Pakistan are likely to be played in the second group which features Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Former Test cricketer Rashid Latif tweeted on Friday that Pakistan would play two matches in Lahore. His tweet went viral on social media, leaving fans confused about this possibility.
However, PCB chairman Sethi has now confirmed that the host country will play at least two matches at the home venue.
“Pakistan will play at least two matches at home. We are figuring this out, let’s wait and watch until we finalise the schedule,” he told reporters during a press conference in Lahore.
The Asia Cup will be played in two phases from August 31 to September 17 in 50-over format. Nepal will be playing its first-ever Asian event. This tournament will help the Asian teams prepare for the ICC World Cup in India.
The ACC’s decision to accept the PCB’s hybrid model is a major boost for Pakistan cricket. It will be the first time since 2008 that a major international cricket tournament will be held in the country.