India won’t travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023, tournament to be held in neutral venue: BCCI secretary Jay Shah

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that India won’t travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup and the tournament will be held at a neutral venue. Earlier, Pakistan was given the hosting rights for the multi-team tournament but the Asian Cricket Council chairman Shah has revealed that they can’t travel across the border.

India last toured Pakistan back in 2006 and since then the two teams have only played against one another at neutral venues in major ICC tournaments. Both of the arch-rivals don’t play each other in bilateral series due to political issues.

“The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also, the Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” Shah said after the 91st BCCI annual general meeting in Mumbai, in the presence of new Board president Roger Binny.

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla revealed that the board will need the Indian government’s permission to tour Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the 2022 edition of the Asia Cup was hosted in the UAE after Sri Lanka could not go ahead with the tournament after the financial crisis in the country.

On the other hand, former Indian bowler Roger Binny has been appointed as the new BCCI president as he replaces Sourav Ganguly.

Binny stated that his focus will be to manage the workload of players and keep them from injuries.

“Players getting frequently injured is a concern and we wish to get to the bottom of it all and see how it can be changed for the better. We have excellent doctors and trainers at the National Cricket Academy but we have to look to reduce the injuries and improve recovery.”

Binny also added that the Indian board will be looking to improve pitches in the domestic circuit.

“There needs to be more life in the wickets at home, so that our teams would not have the problem of adjusting when traveling abroad, like in Australia where there is more pace and bounce.”

India will take on Pakistan in the T20 World Cup at the MCG on Sunday.