Reports: BCCI working out plans for travelling to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023

Of course, the approval of the government in power at the moment will be required before India travels to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has put the tour on its current agenda.

Prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 18, the BCCI released a memorandum to the state associations outlining India's participation in the following multilateral events:

The Indian team will be participating in the following ICC events in 2023

• ICC Women's T20 World Cup, South Africa
• ICC Women's U-19 T20 World Cup, South Africa
• Asia Cup, Pakistan
• ICC Cricket World Cup, India

In the second half of 2023, Pakistan is slated to stage the 50-over Asia Cup, with India hosting the World Cup shortly thereafter. And based on the AGM statement, the BCCI appears certain of India visiting Pakistan, which has been off limits since 2008 when India participated in an Asia Cup.

The BCCI officials declined to comment when asked, but it is significant since Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Although the BCCI memo appears to suggest otherwise, there is always the option of the tournament being held in the UAE, much like the latest edition of the Asia Cup this year.

"It will be subject to the clearance of the Government of India as always," a BCCI official told Cricbuzz.  

India haven't visited Pakistan since 2008

India and Pakistan haven’t locked horns in a bilateral series for almost a decade now. Since Pakistan’s tour of India ended back in January 2013, neither of the two teams have traveled to the other country for bilateral series. The two teams now face off only during ICC events like the World Cup or continental events like the Asia Cup.

Though other cricketing boards have offered to host the two teams to keep the fans engaged, neither the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), nor the BCCI agreed on common grounds. However, India-Pakistan clashes continue to amaze the spectators every time, and a contest between the arch-rivals garners maximum attention.