"You are sitting on a powerful seat" - Shahid Afridi unhappy with Najam Sethi's contrasting statements on Asia Cup in different interviews
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has expressed his dissatisfaction over PCB chief Najam Sethi's contrasting statements about the Asia Cup. Afridi urged Sethi not to change his stance over hosting rights so frequently.
Over the last few months, the hosting rights have been a matter of debate in Asian cricketing circles. Initially, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) allotted the hosting rights for the tournament to Pakistan. Later, ACC President Jay Shah announced that UAE would host the mega event.
The PCB protested the decision, and the board's chief Najam Sethi has given different statements about the hosting rights to different media outlets.
Commenting on the same, Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan:
"Sometimes, I hear that the Asia Cup will be hosted in England, but I fail to comprehend why he [Sethi] feels the need to give interviews everywhere."
Previously, chairman PCB management committee Najam Sethi proposed to host Asia Cup 2023 in England
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Reminding Sethi about his responsibility and position, Afridi continued:
"I mean, Najam Sethi should know that this is a huge responsibility, and you are sitting on a powerful seat, so don't keep changing your stance repeatedly. Explain to your advisors or talk to them that whatever stance you are taking, we are with you, but let's move forward with consultation and avoid constantly changing things."
Where will Asia Cup 2023 be held?
The ACC announced that the Asia Cup 2023 tournament will take place in the United Arab Emirates, but after the announcement, the PCB has offered different models to the board.
The PCB suggested that India can play their matches in the UAE, but the rest of the matches should be held in Pakistan. They also suggested that England could be an option to host the tournament.
Besides, reports have emerged claiming that Sri Lanka Cricket and Bangladesh Cricket Board do not wish to play 50-over matches in the UAE during the month of September because of the extreme heat. They also rejected the hybrid model, citing logistical issues.
It will be interesting to see which nation hosts the tournament. The competition was held in the UAE last year, where Sri Lanka emerged as the champions.