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Published 19 May, 2023 09:51am

Pakistan likely to win Asia Cup case in ACC meeting

After months of hiccups and meetings, it looks like the prayers of Pakistan cricket fans are about to be answered.

There has been uncertainty surrounding the host of the Asia Cup, however, the matter is about to be sorted out as, apart from India, the other four nations involved in the tournament have given the green single to PCB’s hybrid model.

The development comes after the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) agreed to access the Pakistan Cricket Board’s hybrid model in its meeting.

All – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – are willing to play matches in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has once again expressed its desire to move the tournament out from Pakistan due to political uncertainty.

“I haven’t seen the new hybrid model so far,” the BCCI official was quoted saying by the Indian media. “There is no change in our stance. We want Asia Cup to be shifted from Pakistan due to political unrest there,” he added.

Pakistan have tabled two options in the hybrid model. First, it was proposed earlier that India will play their matches at a neutral venue, while the rest of the tournament would take place in Pakistan.

The other option is that the 50-over tournament will be played in two phases. First phase: all teams except India will have to play at least one match in Pakistan. In the second phase: the remaining part of the tournament is to be played in UAE with India participating there.

Moreover, the PCB has named Dubai as a preferred neutral venue in a hybrid model. If Dubai hosts the second phase of the Asia Cup, the board will get its share in gate money as well. However, PCB will have to bear the loss if the neutral venue is other than the UAE.

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