The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks with its Afghanistan counterpart to organise a tri-series in August involving hosts UAE in the event of the Asia Cup getting cancelled or postponed. This edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in September and India has the hosting rights, but Pakistan will not travel to the neighbouring country as per the hybrid model accepted ahead of the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Therefore, there is a non-clarity surrounding the event, prompting the PCB to initiate talks with the Afghanistan board.
“With the Asia Cup now unlikely to be held in India as originally planned in September due to the simmering relations between Pakistan and India, the PCB is working on another tri-series proposal,” a well-informed source in PCB said.
“The idea is that if the Asia Cup is moved to the UAE, then Pakistan will play a tri-series with Afghanistan and the UAE in Dubai in August, replacing the Afghanistan tour to Pakistan,” he explained.
He said the PCB has already been in talks with the two boards to organise the tri-series.
“If the Asia Cup is cancelled or postponed, the PCB wants the Afghanistan and UAE teams to play the tri-series in Pakistan in August,” the source disclosed.
PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi is the president of the Asian Cricket Council and the source said the ACC will meet soon to decide on the Asia Cup.
“The Indian cricket board is yet to confirm its willingness to host the Asia Cup at home. So, it remains to be seen when the ACC council meets and makes a call on the future of the Asia Cup, which is to be held in the T20 format,” he added.
