Hours after BCCI General Secretary Jay Shah announced that India will play next year’s Asia Cup at a neutral venue, Pakistan has reportedly started mulling over the possibility of pulling out from the 2023 ODI World Cup. Pakistan, as per the Future Tours Programme (FTP), are scheduled to host the next edition of the continental tournament while India will be hosting the one-day world cup in 2023.
After the BCCI AGM in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shah had told reporters that “India will play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue.”

According to news agency PTI, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman (PCB) Ramiz Raja is considering withdrawing the men’s team from the ODI World Cup in light of the remarks made by Shah who is also the chairman of Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
“The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hard ball because it is also aware that the ICC and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team events,” a senior PCB source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
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India haven’t toured Pakistan since 2008 and the bilateral cricket ties between the two teams remain suspended. The two teams though regularly clash at the global and continental events.
PCB has declined to give an official reaction to the development.
“We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the ICC board meeting in Melbourne next month,” a spokesperson said.
The statement from Shah though has irked Raza and other senior PCB officers, reported PTI. “The PCB officials are surprised at the timing of Jay Shah’s statement because there is still nearly a year to go before the Asia Cup is held in Pakistan in September 2023,” one insider said.
“The PCB is wondering in what capacity has Jay Shah given the statement that the ACC will look to relocate the Asia Cup to UAE out of Pakistan because the hosting rights were awarded by the executive board of the ACC not the President,” the PCB source said.
PCB were reportedly aware that the issue of India potentially having to travel to Pakistan for the tournament will come up at the BCCI AGM but not expecting a statement.
The PCB sources claim that Raja will send a strong letter to the ACC on the matter and would be demanding an emergency meeting of the board to be convened in Melbourne next month to discuss Shah’s statement.
The insider also disclosed that the PCB had decided to look at several options and would not accept any disruption to its hosting rights.
“One option under consideration will be to pull out of the ACC as the PCB believes the ACC was formed to promote and develop cricket in the region and forge unity among the member nations. But the President of the ACC is going to give statements like these, there is no use for Pakistan to remain in the body,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)