Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi has disclosed the crux of his recent meeting with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials and the official broadcaster of Asia Cup 2023.
In BBC’s podcast ‘Stumped’, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi said that they had proposed a Hybrid Model a month ago to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in which India will play their matches outside Pakistan and the rest of the teams will play their matches in Pakistan. “If India and Pakistan will meet in the final, we will play it at the neutral venue,” he said.
BCCI secretary and ACC Chairman Jay Shah rejected the proposal by raising questions about logistics.
“We have made it clear to them that it is we who decide where India can play their matches. If Sri Lanka suits us, we will choose Sri Lanka, but most probably we are prioritizing Dubai. First they have to consider and accept Hybrid Model then further talks begin,” Najam Sethi elaborated.
That sounds negotiable, the Podcast host said.
The PCB Chairman then said that they have proposed a revised version of ‘hybrid model’ in the recent meeting held twos days ago with ACC officials, in which the first four matches will be played in Pakistan and then the whole tournament will be shifted to Dubai.
The ACC then raised a question about the possiblity of travel between two countries with all the crew and equipment.
Sethi clarified that the teams have to come Pakistan just once.
The podcaster asked Sethi how long it will take to negotiate, to which he replied, “Look, we only have three months left and we have to prepare. We have to selects the venues, we have to do arrangements for broadcasters. ACC have already wasted too much time, time is running out. ACC have to take a decision now”
Najam Sethi also said that the World Cup is coming up, and if India does not come to Pakistan, our government will not allow Pakistan to travel to India.
“If they don’t, why would we? Security risks are on both side,” Sethi concluded.
