Asia Emerging Nations Cup | Tournament likely to shift away from Pakistan after BCCI refuse to play
After BCCI’s repeated refusal to send a team to Pakistan, who are hosting the Asia Emerging Nations Cup, the tournament would reportedly shift to Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. The Pakistan Cricket Board has stated that they would decide the venues in the ACC meeting scheduled to be held in Colombo.
India’s political differences with Pakistan off the field have been affecting their cricketing relations since 2012. With the once famous bilateral series between the two nations completely absent now, the board has shown their unwillingness to send younger sides to Pakistan as well.
The board had previously registered their objection against Pakistan getting the hosting rights for the six-nation tournament in April next year, claiming that before announcing the venue of the event it was not consulted with them. Pakistan had got the rights of hosting at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Lahore on October 29 this year, in which BCCI didn’t take part.
BCCI has been adamant in their stance since then, which has put a big question mark on the tournament’s organization in the supposed host nation, with a PCB official reportedly admitting that the tournament would now shift to Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.
“We agreed to host the event in April this year on the understanding that all nations would participate in it,” he said, reported PTI.
Pakistan
“I have no interest in travelling to India. If the Indian authorities issue a visa I will go if not the ICC should see. We will soon decide the dates for the meeting in Colombo,” he said.
Sethi has confirmed that the next ACC meeting would be a conclusive one in terms of venues and dates for the Asian Emerging Nations and the Asia Cup events would also be decided in that.