PCB disappointed by Shah's comments on Asia Cup venue

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistan Cricket Board expressed its disappointment after Asian Cricket Council president Jay Shah said next year’s Asia Cup will be played at a neutral venue because India will not travel to Pakistan.

Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, told reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday that since India can’t go to Pakistan and “they can’t come here,” next year’s 50-over format Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue.

Pakistan has been scheduled to host the Asia Cup, which will be a buildup for the World Cup in India.

“The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment … and the comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications,” the PCB said in a statement on Wednesday.

The PCB said it feared that Shah’s statement could split the Asian and international communities and “can impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the World Cup and future ICC events in India.”

The cricket board said it did not receive any official communication from the ACC on the statement from Shah and it has written to the ACC to convene an emergency meeting of its board “on this important and sensitive matter.”

Because of political tensions, the two countries have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India for an ODI series. India last toured Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup while Pakistan needed its government’s approval to play the T20 World Cup in India in 2016.

Pakistan is scheduled to take on India in Melbourne in its opening T20 World Cup match on Sunday.

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