Sri Lanka, Bangladesh back BCCI to move Asia Cup 2023 out of Pakistan - Reports

Pakistan hold the hosting rights of the Asia Cup 2023.

After India declined to take part in the Asia Cup 2023 tournament if it was hosted in Pakistan, the cricket boards of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have reportedly offered their support to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to move the prestigious continental event out of Pakistan, according to GEO News.

Asia Cup 2023 was awarded to Pakistan as the host nation, but based on current events, it appears that the competition will no longer take place there.

India might have played its matches at a neutral site under a hybrid hosting format that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had previously proposed, but the BCCI rejected any such suggestion.

Then the PCB chairman Najam Sethi made it clear that Pakistan will not visit India for the World Cup 2023 if the BCCI refuses to send their squad for the Asia Cup, which was previously planned to be held in their nation.

“In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the Pakistan government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer.

There should be a middle way to solve problems that surely threaten the smooth hosting of ICC and ACC events. In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, the government will not allow us to travel to India to figure in the World Cup matches,” Sethi had reportedly told reporters.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards have offered to host the Asia Cup 2023; support BCCI

Also, as per the report, both the cricket boards, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have shown interest in hosting the tournament this year - that would in one way or another, meet the BCCI's demand of ensuring that the event is held at a neutral venue and not in Pakistan.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is more than willing to consider United Arab Emirates (UAE) as host if the Asia Cup is moved out of Pakistan and the Men in Green declines to take part in the competition.

The ACC president, Jay Shah, has offered the broadcasters that they will be fairly reimbursed in the future in a series including India after carefully weighing the financial costs that they will have to endure should Pakistan decide not to participate in the tournament.