Asia Cup 2023: Stubborn BCCI ‘unlikely to support’ PCB’s hybrid model

• Controversy over the status of Asia Cup persists amid Indian concerns.
• Jay Shah makes BCCI's "stance clear" in meeting with ACC members.
• BCCI says will not support Najam Sethi's hybrid proposal.

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board will not support Pakistan’s hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2023 as controversy over the status of the mega event persists, according to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi has shared a proposal to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to address Indian concerns about not visiting Islamabad for the mega event.

However, some council members agreed to the hybrid model but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still reluctant to come clean on the matter.

The PTI report said that the BCCI would not support Najam Sethi's proposal, wherein, four preliminary rounds and two super four games will be held in Pakistan with India's matches and the final taking place at a neutral venue.

The Indian news agency said that ACC Chairman Jay Shah, who is also the secretary of the BCCI, during an informal discussion with some of the continental body's members in Ahmedabad has made the Indian board's stance clear.

The final decision in this regard will be taken by the executive body of the ACC — a meeting of which is expected soon.

Owing to their soured political relations, bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan remains suspended and they play each other only in multi-team events.

Pakistan has threatened to boycott the World Cup in India in October-November should they be forced to stage the entire Asia Cup in another country, the United Arab Emirates.