“We will play at a neutral venue”: Jay Shah wants Asia Cup 2023 to move out of Pakistan

BCCI President Jay Shah has confirmed that India won’t travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023, and they want it to be played at a neutral venue.

Pakistan is set to host the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup, but there are now some dark clouds over the tournament being held at the venue. In the latest update, BCCI have confirmed that they have no intentions of playing in Pakistan, and a neutral venue may well again be used to host the tournament.

Sri Lanka was set to host the Asia Cup 2022, but the political conditions in the country changed the scenario, and UAE was then used as the neutral venue to host the tournament. Sri Lanka won the title of Asia Cup 2022 by beating Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium.

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The matches between India and Pakistan have always been a sellout affair, and both of them faced each other a couple of times in Asia Cup 2022 only where both teams won one match each.

Jay Shah wants Asia Cup 2023 to move out of Pakistan

BCCI president Jay Shah has confirmed that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. He said that they will play the Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue only. There were a lot of questions around the same, but Jay Shah has finally clarified the air around the same.

“Neutral venue for Asia Cup is not unprecedented and we have decided that we will not travel to Pakistan,” Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI and ACC president said.

“I have decided that we will play at a neutral venue. It’s the govt that decides over the permission of our team visiting Pakistan so we won’t comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup, it is decided that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue.”

Apart from the Asia Cup, Pakistan has also been given the right to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. It will be interesting to see India’s stance on that tournament as well. India last travelled to Pakistan in 2006. It will be interesting to see further updates about the hosting rights of Asia Cup 2022.