India won’t go to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023: BCCI secretary Jay Shah

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday said that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 and the prestigious tournament will be held at a neutral venue.

Pakistan are set to host the forthcoming edition of the Asia Cup in 2023 followed by the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

But the BCCI secretary on Tuesday completely dismissed any chance of India travelling to Pakistan for the event and said that the Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue.

“We will stage Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It’s the government which decides whether or not a team will be permitted to visit Pakistan, so we won’t comment on that. But for the 2023 Asia Cup, it’s decided that the tournament will be held at some neutral venue,” Jay Shah told reporters after the 91st Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was held on Tuesday in Mumbai.

“The venue for the 2025 Championship trophy is still to be decided, we will comment on that when it is decided,” he added.

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series in almost a decade due to political tensions. The fierce rivals only meet in continental competitions like the Asia Cup and the global events like the World Cup.

The last bilateral series between the two teams took place in India back in 2012.

The Indian team last visited Pakistan in 2008, for the Asia Cup.