Pakistan Cricket Board unhappy with Jay Shah announcing 2023 Asia Cup schedule prior to the official ceremony in Lahore - Reports
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly unhappy with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah for jumping the gun with the 2023 Asia Cup schedule.
PCB had planned an entire opening ceremony in Lahore which included the unveiling of the trophy as well as the schedule as per the hybrid model. While everyone expected the fixtures to be released late in the evening, in an unexpected development, Jay Shah released the schedule earlier than expected on Twitter.
Despite the match list being released in an unplanned fashion, the event was conducted in Lahore, where prominent former Pakistan cricketers as well as PCB's newly forged Cricket Management Committee led by Zaka Ashraf were present.
Expressing disappointment over the ACC president's actions, a source in the PCB told PTI:
"The PCB had a clear understanding with the Asian Cricket Council (that) it would release the schedule of the Asia Cup five minutes after the ceremony started in Lahore. But unfortunately, half-an-hour before the ceremony started around 7:15 p.m., Jay Shah had announced it on social media."
The fixture list was agreed upon after sustained deliberation, particularly regarding the venues. The prospect of two host nations as well as weather restrictions made it difficult to satisfy all the parties involved.
Jay Shah announcing the fixtures on social media had a negative impact on PCB's pre-planned event
The conflict began on the back of Team India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. PCB then pitched the hybrid model after the prospect of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosting the tournament for the third straight time was ruled out.
While there was hesitance over the two-nation model, the ACC finally approved the notion. The source also added that the PCB has voiced its concern over the disparity in schedule announcements to the ACC.
ACC reportedly provided an explanation, but the PCB is far from pleased with how the events transpired.
"The ACC's explanation was about misunderstandings over the time difference and all that, but the thing is, India is half-an-hour ahead of Pakistan time, so Jay Shah's announcement was a shock," the PCB source continued.
The source further stated that Jay Shah's decision to announce the fixtures in an unprecedented manner was his way of getting back at Zaka Ashraf. The duo were in contact during ICC's annual meeting in Durban, a couple of weeks back.
Apparently, the PCB representatives, which include Zaka Ashraf and sports minister Ahsan Mazari, behaved in an unprofessional manner towards the BCCI secretary.
"It appears as if Jay Shah settled scores after the confusion and questions he had to face over whether he had accepted an invitation from Zaka to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup matches, which was widely circulated by Mazari and the PCB in the media," the source added.
The 2023 Asia Cup will begin on August 30 with a clash between Pakistan and Nepal. The group-stage encounter between India and Pakistan has been scheduled for September 2 in Kandy.
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