Asia Cup Update: From Friends to Foe- New Rivalry Begins between Pakistan and Sri Lanka
After Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) offered to host the full Asia Cup rather than just four games as per the “Hybrid Model” put forth by Najam Sethi, relations between the PCB and SLC have deteriorated.
PCB Head Najam Sethi’s Hybrid Model Called Off
The Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLB) expressed its ambition to host the entire Asia Cup, which infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who also rejected the latter’s offer to play an ODI bilateral series in the island nation. Sources within the PCB claim that the ‘Hybrid Model’ put forth by Najam Sethi, which called for four games to be conducted in Pakistan, and the hosting of the entire Asia Cup by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), had caused a deterioration in ties between the two organizations.
PCB Hopes of Support From Other Asian Team Scattered
Sethi anticipated that Sri Lanka, with whom Pakistan has had friendly relations for a long time, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan would persuade the Indian Cricket Board and other board members of the Asian Cricket Council to accept his proposal and hold at least three to four games of the Asia Cup in Pakistan before moving the tournament elsewhere. The insider continued, “He is dissatisfied with how things have turned out lately, especially after some of these board heads travelled to India for the IPL final and spoke with the BCCi secretary Jay Shah.
However, if the Indian board does not alter its stance on the Asia Cup, insiders claim that the PCB is currently prepared for some harsh decisions on the Asia Cup and World Cup.
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