PCB rubbishes reports of government clearances for Asia Cup participants

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed the talks of government clearances for the sides participating in the Asia Cup 2023. The statement came in the aftermath of a report that suggested all the participating nations in the Asia Cup 2023 have been asked to get government clearance to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) conducted an executive board meeting last week to decide the fate of Pakistan's hosting rights for this year's Asia Cup. However, they could not come to a decision in their meeting and postponed the topic for March 2023. 

But a report in ESPNcricinfo claimed that all the participating nations of the continental tournament will need to seek government clearance to travel to Pakistan for the competition. PCB has rubbished those talks citing the recent tours of Pakistan by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"Cricinfo, in its story under the headline Decision on Asia Cup venue postponed to March 2023, stated: 'In addition, all ACC members are believed to have been asked to seek their own government's positions on whether their teams can travel to Pakistan. The PCB wishes to clarify that no such matters were raised in the meeting, nor did any member indicate any intention to seek government clearance for playing in Pakistan.

"Sri Lanka has recently visited Pakistan in 2017 and 2019, while Bangladesh has toured Pakistan in 2020. In the 2023-2027 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which has been agreed upon and announced by all ICC Members, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have confirmed their tours to Pakistan," Pakistan Cricket Board wrote in a statement.

Several reports have claimed that the venue for this year's Asia Cup will be moved out from Pakistan since India are not in favor of traveling to the country under any circumstance. Meanwhile, another report suggested that Pakistan will be pulling out of the 50-over World Cup in India if they lose the hosting rights of the Asia Cup.

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