Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Management Committee, Najam Sethi, has sent a stern message to India regarding the upcoming Asian Cup. He stated that if India refused to participate in the tournament, Pakistan would not go to India for the World Cup. Sethi mentioned that if India wanted to play its matches at neutral venues, Pakistan would also play World Cup matches at neutral venues. The Asia Cup would not take place without Pakistan and India, as the broadcasters would not invest money without the anticipated Pakistan-India match.
During a conversation with the Indian media, Sethi proposed a model in which the Asia Cup could be hosted in two phases. He emphasized that Pakistan has a secure environment for cricket matches, with major nations having participated in the past. He mentioned that the Pakistani government would not permit travel to the World Cup if the Indian government did not grant authorization.
Sethi also said that if India did not participate in the Asia Cup, then Pakistan’s World Cup matches would also take place at neutral venues. However, if India were to join them, Pakistan would travel to India to participate. He added that the India-Pakistan encounter is critical for the Asia Cup, as the entire purse for the tournament would be spent on this match.
Sethi acknowledged that there is no security risk in Pakistan and that all necessary measures have been taken. He also mentioned that India’s security has always been a concern for Pakistan and that India has not visited Pakistan in the past. However, other Indian sports teams have visited Pakistan without any issues.
Sethi concluded that the hybrid approach proposed by the PCB for the Asia Cup has been approved by the officials from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Even in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), they have a crew of two broadcasters. Sethi emphasized that cricket and Pakistan’s political climate are unrelated, and they provide presidential security to all the teams.