UAE set to host Asia Cup, final decision to be taken in March

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has delayed making a formal announcement regarding the venue for the forthcoming Asia Cup edition (2023) but the tournament is all set to be shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Pakistan.

On Saturday in Bahrain, all heads of ACC member nations, including BCCI secretary Jay Shah and PCB chairman Najam Sethi, attended a council meeting that was arranged at the request of  PCB chairman Sethi.

While a decision regarding the potential shift of venue has been postponed till March, PTI reports that UAE will, in all likelihood, host the competition. 

"The ACC affiliates met today and there were a lot of constructive discussions. But the shift of venue has been postponed till March,”  a senior BCCI official privy to the development told PTI.

“But be rest assured that with India not going to Pakistan, the tournament will have to be shifted. A tournament without Virat Kohlis, Rohit Sharmas and Shubman Gills will have the sponsors back out.”

In October last year, Shah had said that Team India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and the tournament will be ‘held at some neutral venue’. The chairman of ACC, Shah had also released the itinerary of the continental body and the venue of Asia Cup wasn’t mentioned.

The PCB then accused Shah of taking a ‘unilateral decision’, and former PCB chairman threatened that Pakistan would pull out of the 2023 World Cup in India should India refuse to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.