‘Like a cup of tea that is being offered to everyone’: Ex-Pakistan captain slams ACC amid Asia Cup hosting rights row
The 2023 Asia Cup could be moved out of Pakistan with the BCCI reportedly reluctant to send a team to the country.
Hosting the Asia Cup in Pakistan has become an apple of discord between BCCI and PCB. BCCI reportedly seems reluctant to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the tournament. Ever since then, there have been a few calls for Pakistan to boycott the upcoming 2023 World Cup that will be played in India. On Saturday, the representatives of both cricket boards assembled during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Bahrain to arrive at a consensus over hosting the Asia Cup at a neutral venue. As per reports, the marquee tournament might be shifted to UAE and a final decision over the matter will be taken in March this year.
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Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has given his opinion on the matter in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel. Salman highlighted that there were numerous speculations about it and he hoped that the issue would be resolved in March.
"The Asia Cup has become like a cup of tea that is being offered to everyone," said Butt.
"We will have to wait until March. But it is something that is beyond everyone's control. There is a lot of speculation. I hope that things improve and the issue is resolved amicably," he added.
India is unwilling to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions and grave security situation there. On Sunday, a bomb blast left five people injured in Pakistan's Quetta city just a few miles away from where an exhibition match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was being played at the Nawab Akbar Bugti Stadium.
Meanwhile, after the ACC meeting on Saturday, a senior BCCI official had told PTI "The ACC affiliates met today and there were a lot of constructive discussions. But the shift of venue has been postponed till March. But be rest assured that with India not going to Pakistan, the tournament will have to be shifted. A tournament without Virat Kohlis, Rohit Sharmas and Shubman Gills will have the sponsors back out."