'Window that suits Pakistan doesn't suit India' - BCCI official suggests PCB to postpone PSL to host Asia Cup next year

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on international cricket as boards have been left with no choice but to indefinitely postpone scheduled tournaments and series. Amid all the uncertainty involving the resumption of cricketing action, PCB CEO Wasim Khan said that the Asia Cup will be held either in September or October this year.

However, on the contrary, the BCCI doesn’t want the Asia Cup to be hosted in that stage of the year. The window doesn’t suit the Indian board as the much-awaited IPL 2020 is also said to be hosted during that period.

Speaking to the media on the Asia Cup, Wasim said: “The Asia Cup will go ahead. The Pakistan team returns from England on 2nd September so we can have the tournament in September or October. There are some things which will only get clear in the due course of time. We are hopeful of having the Asia Cup because Sri Lanka has not had too many cases of the coronavirus. If they can’t do it, then the UAE is also ready.”

Asia Cup will be a struggle this year: BCCI official

In response to the PCB, the Indian board functionary in the know of developments said that Pakistan should look to postpone the PSL next year and try slotting in the Asia Cup in that window. Meanwhile, the PCB, in fact, is aiming to host the semi-finals of PSL 2020 in the latter part of the year. The league was called off indefinitely in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

“Asia Cup will be a struggle this year. Going by the statement of the Chief Executive of the PCB, the window that suits them doesn’t suit India. Maybe they can postpone PSL next year if BCCI is able to open up a window during that period. Otherwise conducting the Asia Cup doesn’t seem too practical as these are challenging times,” the functionary said as quoted by Outlook.

The BCCI has already made it clear that domestic matches and bilateral ties will be the area of focus once the sporting action resumes in the post-coronavirus world.

The BCCI had recently also announced that India’s tours to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have also been postponed in the wake of the pandemic. The commencement of IPL 2020 would be the prime objective for BCCI once the coronavirus situation subsides.