PCB invites Jay Shah to attend opening match of Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan: Reports
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly invited the Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary and Asian Cricket Council president Jay Shah to attend the Asia Cup 2023 opening game in Pakistan.
The latest edition of the Asia Cup will be played in a hybrid model in Sri Lanka and Pakistan after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. The Men in Blue will play all their games in Sri Lanka.
The Asia Cup 2023 begins with a Group A match between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan on August 30. According to a PTI report, apart from Shah, the PCB has also invited chiefs of other cricket boards who are part of ACC for the tournament opener.
“The PCB has basically followed up on the invitation which was extended verbally by Chairman Zaka Ashraf to Jay Shah when they both met in Durban for the ICC meeting,” a source told the news agency.
The report added that while the Pakistani media claimed that Shah had accepted the PCB's invitation, the BCCI has denied the same.
“The PCB was obviously embarrassed after the Pakistani media reported that Jay Shah had accepted Zaka Ashraf's invitation and the Indian board official later flatly denied this.
"The PCB has basically followed up on the invitation which was extended verbally by Chairman Zaka Ashraf to Jay Shah when they both met in Durban for the ICC meeting,” the source added.
The Asia Cup 2023 will be played across four venues - Multan, Pallekele, Lahore and Colombo. The final will of the tournament will be at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 17.
India to begin their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan
India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A for Asia Cup 2023. The arch-rivals will clash in Pallekele on September 2. Depending on the results, they could meet thrice in the tournament, including the final.
The Men in Blue take on Nepal in their second group game in Pallekele on September 4.
The much-hyped India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 clash takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14.