NEW DELHI: Asian Cricket Council to decide on another venue for Asia Cup ODI tournament in March after BCCI secretary Jay Shah and PCB Chairman Najam Sethi had their first official meeting in Bahrain on Saturday.
The Asian Cup was originally awarded to Pakistan and was scheduled for September this year, but Shah, who is also the chairman of the ACC, announced last October that India would not travel to Pakistan.
It is understood that the United Arab Emirates with three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – are the favorites to host the tournament, but the decision has been withheld at this time.
All chiefs of ACC member countries attended the emergent meeting which was convened at the request of PCB Chairman Sethi after the ACC under Chairman Shah released the itinerary of the continental body where the Pakistan was not named host.
“ACC affiliates met today and there was a lot of constructive discussion. But the change of venue has been postponed until March. But rest assured that with India not going to Pakistan, the tournament will have to be moved. A tournament without Virat Kohlis, Rohit Sharmas and Shubman Gills will bring the sponsors back,” a senior BCCI official familiar with the development told PTI.
An ACC insider said Sethi had just taken over PCB and had he given ground on hosting rights at the first meeting itself, it would have given the house a bad impression.
Pakistan is currently going through an economic crisis and inflation has hit the country very hard with the country’s currency falling to 277 Pakistani rupees against 1 US dollar. Hosting a high profile tournament like the Asian Cup, even if the ACC provides a subsidy, could burn a hole in the coffers of the PCB.
So, strategically, if the tournament is held in the United Arab Emirates, there is every chance that all member nations will earn apart from broadcast revenue as well.
In another decision, the ACC decided to increase the annual budget allocated to the Afghanistan Cricket Association to 15% from six.
The ACC assured that it will help the Afghanistan board in every way possible so that women’s cricket can be revived in the country. Women are banned from playing sports under the Taliban regime.
The Asian Cup was originally awarded to Pakistan and was scheduled for September this year, but Shah, who is also the chairman of the ACC, announced last October that India would not travel to Pakistan.
It is understood that the United Arab Emirates with three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – are the favorites to host the tournament, but the decision has been withheld at this time.
All chiefs of ACC member countries attended the emergent meeting which was convened at the request of PCB Chairman Sethi after the ACC under Chairman Shah released the itinerary of the continental body where the Pakistan was not named host.
“ACC affiliates met today and there was a lot of constructive discussion. But the change of venue has been postponed until March. But rest assured that with India not going to Pakistan, the tournament will have to be moved. A tournament without Virat Kohlis, Rohit Sharmas and Shubman Gills will bring the sponsors back,” a senior BCCI official familiar with the development told PTI.
An ACC insider said Sethi had just taken over PCB and had he given ground on hosting rights at the first meeting itself, it would have given the house a bad impression.
Pakistan is currently going through an economic crisis and inflation has hit the country very hard with the country’s currency falling to 277 Pakistani rupees against 1 US dollar. Hosting a high profile tournament like the Asian Cup, even if the ACC provides a subsidy, could burn a hole in the coffers of the PCB.
So, strategically, if the tournament is held in the United Arab Emirates, there is every chance that all member nations will earn apart from broadcast revenue as well.
In another decision, the ACC decided to increase the annual budget allocated to the Afghanistan Cricket Association to 15% from six.
The ACC assured that it will help the Afghanistan board in every way possible so that women’s cricket can be revived in the country. Women are banned from playing sports under the Taliban regime.
