Asia Cup 2023: What is PCB's 'Hybrid Model' involving India matches?

PCB wants India to execute the same hybrid experiment for the 50-over World Cup as well.

India vs Pakistan - T20 World Cup 2022

A 'Hybrid Model' has been proposed to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which will host the upcoming Asia Cup in 2023. Board chairman Najam Sethi claims that this system would let Pakistan host its Asia Cup games while India would play its games at a neutral site.

Due to continuing political tensions between the two countries, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to permit the India squad to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. As a result, the Indian board urged that the continental competition be moved from Pakistan to a neutral location.

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Despite this, Pakistan wants to host as much of the competition as it can in its country. Sethi is hopeful that the trip to Goa by Pakistan's foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council meeting next month may contribute to a resolution.

"We have been told that, maybe, the ice will keep on melting - if this happens when the Champions Trophy is held in Pakistan in 2025, India would consider playing in Pakistan," Sethi said at a press interaction.

"We have been advised to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and also go to India for the World Cup," he added.

Sethi said that India ought to execute the same hybrid experiment for the 50-over World Cup, which is set to take place in India in October-November of this year.

"We feel this hybrid experiment can also be applied when it is time for the World Cup," Sethi said. "Our stance is that everything should be on a reciprocal basis. In the old times, yes, there were security issues in Pakistan. But now there are no issues, so what is India's excuse for not playing in Pakistan?"

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The ACC, which is being directed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, has not yet responded to the suggested hybrid approach for the Asia Cup.

The Asia Cup 2023 will see six teams, including Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and one team that will be determined after the ongoing qualifiers in Nepal to face off in the limited-overs tournament.

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