BCCI refuses to send Indian team for Asia Emerging Nations Cup to be held in Pakistan

BCCI’s strong stand to not send the Indian team for Asia Emerging Nations Cup, slated to be held in Pakistan this April has put a question mark on the tournament’s organisation in the country. A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official privy to the developments revealed that in the worst case scenario, the tournament will have to be shifted out of the country to either Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

PCB chairman Najam Sethi, who is also the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) told the media in Dubai that he would soon be calling a meeting of the ACC in Colombo to take final decisions regarding the Asia Emerging Nations Cup and Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India, later this year, in September.

Sethi also said that the next meeting of the ACC would be decisive as venues and dates for both the aforementioned events would be decided. The PCB chairman was quoted saying by Sportskeeda, “We agreed to host the event in April this year on the understanding that all nations would participate in it.”

Sethi’s India travel subject to visa availability

India has strictly refused to play Pakistan in any series that is not under the aegis of ICC since the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. And even in other public forums, the Indian board has been reluctant to give any concessions to Pakistan.

Sethi thus cleared any air of doubt stating that Pakistan’s participation in the Asia Cup in India will similarly be subject to conditions. He also added that his participation in the ICC board meetings in Kolkata later in April would be subject to whether the ICC could acquire a visa for him from India.

“I have no interest in travelling to India. If the Indian authorities issue a visa I will go if not the ICC should see,” Najam Sethi added.