Jay Shah will not visit Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 – News18

Contrary to false reports appearing in the Pakistani media, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will not pay any visit to the neighboring country during the Asian Cup, neither before nor after.

“I have not agreed to anything. This is simply miscommunication. Probably done deliberately or maliciously. I won’t be paying any visits,” Jay Shah told News18 CricketNext on Wednesday morning.

BCCI Secretary Shah and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Zaka Ashraf met on the sidelines of the ongoing ICC meeting in Durban where the two discussed the Asian Cup and the of the World of more than 50.

It is being widely reported in the Pakistani media that Shah accepted Ashraf’s invitation to visit Pakistan for the Asian Cup matches, which is completely false.

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Arun Dhumal, BCCI’s CCA representative at ICC, has also denied that Shah or anyone from BCCI is going to Pakistan.

“Whatever the reports are, they are completely false,” Dhumal told News18 CricketNext.

While Shah has strongly refuted reports of his visit, the ‘hybrid arrangement’ of the Asian Cup tournament, where Pakistan will host four games while Sri Lanka will host nine games, including all qualifiers and the final, will remain. There are also no changes to this arrangement, which was initially agreed to by all parties, including the PCB.

A well-placed source disputed the reports, asking why an Indian official would visit Pakistan when India is playing all their games including knockouts (if they do) in Sri Lanka.

“Unless this is for naughty reasons. The two met and talked about the Asian Cup and the World Cup in India later this year, but that was it. The hybrid Asian Cup deal is still in place where Pakistan will host some games and Sri Lanka will host most of the tournament because Pakistan kept insisting on it,” the source said.

Apart from the Asian Cup, the two also talked about the World Cup in India and Pakistan will travel for the 50+ main event later this year as planned.

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Pakistan will play its matches in Ahmedabad as suggested by the World Cup schedule and there will be no change to that itinerary.

PCB has given the ICC the green light in the 50+ World Cup and as BCCI officials put it, “there is nothing to add.”