PCB could pull out of 2023 Asia Cup if tournament is moved out of Pakistan: Ramiz Raja

The drama concerning Asia Cup 2023 is yet to settle. Following BCCI secretary and ACC chairman Jay Shah’s statement that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Asian tournament, the PCB chief Ramiz Raja has said that Pakistan won’t be participating in next year’s ODI World Cup in case Shah and company decide to change the venue of Asia Cup.

Things escalated further when the PCB chairman once again pulled the trigger and announced their intention of pulling out of the next year’s Asia Cup in case India or the organising committee indeed changes the venue of the competition. Raja reminded that Pakistan "won the rights fair and square" and under no circumstances they are willing to change their stance.

“It's not as if we don't have hosting rights and we're pleading to host it. We won the rights fair and square. If India doesn't come, they won't come. If the Asia Cup gets taken away from Pakistan, maybe we're the ones that pull out,” Raja said during Pakistan’s first Test against England in Rawalpindi.

To take the Asia Cup away from the host on that basis isn't right: Ramiz Raja

Over the past couple of years, the Pakistan team has hosted some of the top cricketing nations in the world like England and Australia. Thus, the management is very confident about their chances of hosting the prestigious tournament. The recent controversy has bothered the Pakistan chief as he questioned the reason for handing them the responsibility in the first place if they are anyway not allowed to host it on their conditions.

“We've shown we can host great teams. I can understand issues relating to bilateral cricket, but the Asia Cup is a multi-nation tournament, almost as big as the World Cup for the Asian bloc. Why give it to us in the first place and then make all those statements about India not travelling to Pakistan? I accept that India won't come because the government won't allow them to come - fine. But to take the Asia Cup away from the host on that basis isn't right,” PCB chairman said.