‘No proposal’ under discussion at ACC to replace Asia Cup

• PCB has proposed to host Asia Cup on a "hybrid model".
• Najam Sethi confirms PCB is waiting for an answer from BCCI.
• “No idea to postpone Asia Cup has been floated," ACC member says.

ISLAMABAD: No proposal of any five-nation or alternate tournament to replace Asia Cup is under consideration and such an idea holds no worth against the scheduled events planned well ahead, The News reported Tuesday citing sources.

Sources in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) have strongly denied rumours that a member country has floated an idea of replacing the Asia Cup with a five-nation or an alternate event proposed for the UAE.

“Pakistan holds the right to host Asia Cup in September and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already floated a ‘hybrid model’ proposal that is under consideration by the member countries,” a source within the ACC confirmed.

The PCB has proposed to host Asia Cup on a "hybrid model", where Pakistan will play their matches on home soil, while India will play at a neutral venue — in all likelihood Dubai. 

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has already communicated that India will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup. In response, PCB Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi floated the "hybrid model" idea during the last ACC meeting to keep the cup with Pakistan.

The BCCI wants the entire tournament to be shifted to the UAE — which has three grounds in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi — much like in 2018. “There has been an exchange of messages but no discussion or proposal to postpone the Asia Cup has been floated," an ACC board member said recently.

Sethi confirmed to The News that the PCB was waiting for the answer from BCCI on the hybrid model, saying no ACC country has any powers to take decisions where the collective benefits are involved.

“The ACC meeting will have to be called for discussing any issue of importance. The PCB has already promised the highest level of security to India and other countries like the one being extended to the New Zealand team. 

"All other Asian countries except for India have been traveling to Pakistan for international events in recent past so there is no reason why any other country deny traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup,” a PCB official said.

There are several other implications involved. 

“India or for that matter any other country cannot dictate or has any monopoly on the ACC. No Asian country can be denied its right of hosting the event under the ACC umbrella. Denying or planning any such things means a total mess up and a bleak future for ACC,” a source said.