agencies
NEW DELHI, May 2: Contradicting media reports that Asia Cup could be postponed and a parallel tournament, excluding Pakistan, could be played in Dubai in the same window, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) sources on Monday said that they have not sent out any such proposal to the member nations. A report in Pakistan media claimed that if PCB will not agree to play Asia Cup at a neutral venue, the tournament could be taken away from the country. The hosting rights of the 2023 Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in ODI format, are with the Pakistan Cricket Board but BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the ACC chairman, has made it clear that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan. The PCB has proposed to host Asia Cup on a 'hybrid model', where Pakistan play their matches on the home soil, while India play at a neutral venue -- in all likelihood Dubai. It is understood that the BCCI wants the entire tournament to be shifted to the UAE -- which has three grounds in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi -- much like the 2018 and 2022 editions when India and Sri Lanka were the tournament hosts. "There has been exchange of messages but no discussion or proposal to postpone the Asia Cup has been floated," an ACC Board member, privy to discussions on the sidelines of an ICC meet in Dubai, told PTI on the conditions of anonymity.
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