India won't tour Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, tournament to be held at neutral venue: ACC chief Jay Shah
India to not tour Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup, confirms Jay Shah
On Tuesday (October 18), the Asian Cricket Chief Jay Shah -- who is also the BCCI Secretary -- has confirmed that India won't travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup. Shah, who interacted with the reporters after BCCI's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai, made it official that the Indian team won't go to their neighbouring country for the 50-over Asia Cup, to be held next year, and the continental tournament is likely to be held at a neutral venue.
"The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue," Shah told the media after the AGM. "I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can't go there [to Pakistan], they can't come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue." It is to be noted that the ACC is yet to discuss the issue, following which a conclusionwill be out.
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The development came forward on the day when Shah was given another term as the BCCI Secretary whereas 1983 World Cup hero Roger Binny replaced Sourav Ganguly as the board's 36th President.
India and Pakistan haven'tplay bilateral series with each other since early 2013, when Misbah-ul-Haq-led Men in Green toured India for three ODIs and two T20Is. India's last visit to Pakistan was during the 2008 Asia Cup whereas their last tourofPakistanwas in 2006, when Rahul Dravid was the captain of the national side.
Since then, both sides only meet in multi-nation or ICC events. The strained political relations have led to no bilateral series between the two Asian giants. The senior men's teams, however,met twice during the 2022 Asia Cup -- where India and Pakistan won a game each -- and will now lock horns in the Super 12 match during the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, at the MCG, Melbourne, on October 23.
Meanwhile, the senior women's teams had also squared off in the Women's Asia Cup, recently held in Bangladesh. The Bismah Mahroof-led Pakistan women had defeated the eventual winners Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian eves in the group stage.