PCB Unhappy With Sri Lanka Cricket, Refuses To Play ODI Series After SLC Proposes To Host Asia Cup 2023: Report

The tension over the hosting rights of Asia Cup 2023 has increased after Sri Lanka Cricket stepped in to bring the tournament home. Pakistan Cricket Board, who has been a life-long friend of SLC, is upset over this new development, as per reports.

File image of Najam Sethi. Source: AP

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly refused to play ODI series in Sri Lanka in July in retaliation to Sri Lanka Cricket proposing to host all matches of Asia Cup. As per a report in Press Trust of India, PCB are upset that Sri Lanka have decided to side with Board of Control for Cricket in India on the Asia Cup venue matter. In case you didn't know, PCB was awarded the hosting rights of Asia Cup 2023. However, last year BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who also happens to be the Asian Cricket Council president, said that India will not go to Pakistan to play Asia Cup and that a neutral venue will be decided on a later date. Since then, the statement irked PCB, who issued a quick reply that if India did not come to Pakistan, they would also not come for the ODI World Cup scheduled to take later this year.

Sri Lanka Cricket spoiling Pakistan party?

PCB has been trying to push their case and ensure at least some Asia Cup matches are held in Pakistan but no final decision has been taken on the matter yet. With Sri Lanka reportedly proposing to host the Asia Cup, PCB seemed to have got even more upset. 

A source close to PCB said that the board is unhappy with SLC for coming forward and showing interest to host Asia Cup when they already know that it is Pakistan's turn to host the mega event.

"An example of the increasingly strained relations between the two boards emerged after the PCB turned down a proposal by the Lankans to play a few One-Day International matches next month in Sri Lanka," a PCB source was quoted as saying in the PTI report. "It is a clear indication that the PCB is not happy with the Sri Lankan board stepping in to offer to host the Asia Cup in September when it is Pakistan's turn to host the regional event at home," the source added.

Sri Lanka are to host two Tests in July vs Pakistan. The Sri Lankan board had requested PCB to play a few ODI matches too as this is a World Cup year and the island nation is confident of qualifying for the main event via qualifiers. However, PCB has refused to pay heed to the request. 

PCB boss Najam Sethi disappointed with SLC

PCB boass Najam Sethi is reportedly very disappointed with Sri Lanka over the new development. He is also upset with the fact that many board presidents went to Ahmedabad to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) final and met Shah. "Sethi expected Sri Lanka with whom Pakistan has long had friendly relations, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to convince the Indian Cricket Board and other Asian Cricket Council board members to go with the proposal put by Sethi and at least play three to four games in Pakistan of the Asia Cup before moving the tournament elsewhere. He is disappointed at the way things have panned out in recent days specially when some of these board heads went to India for the IPL final and met with the BCCi secretary Jay Shah," the source said.