India corners Pak on Asia Cup; BCCI to host Sri Lanka, B'desh & Afghan boards at IPL final

Amidst the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and the Asian Cricket Council President Jay Shah has cornered the Pakistan Cricket Board and invited the presidents of the Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka Cricket Boards to witness the final of the cash-rich league in Ahmedabad on May 28, 2023. Shah will also hold discussions on the Asia Cup 2023 which was set to be held in Pakistan with the respective chiefs of the cricket board. 

Jay Shah said in a statement, as per ANI, that presidents of Bangladesh, Afghanistan & Sri Lanka Cricket Boards will grace the Tata IPL 2023 final to be held on May 28 at the Narendra Modi Stadium (in Ahmedabad, Gujarat). BCCI gave a royal snub to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as they did not invite them for discussions on the Asia Cup. 

BCCI gives a royal snub to PCB

The Asia Cup 2023 is supposed to be held in the month of August and September this year but there is still a rift on the hosting rights of the tournament. BCCI has made it categorically clear that it will not send its team to Pakistan, who were the hosts of Asia Cup 2023 due to security issues. Pakistan has tried to give empty threats of boycotting the Men's Cricket World Cup in India but the possibility of that happening is equal to the possibility of India going to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. 

The latest development where BCCI has only invited the board presidents of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan for discussions on the Asia Cup has made India's stance absolutely clear. 

PCB to accept BCCI's offer to play Asia Cup 2023 on a neutral venue: Reports 

The BCCI is in favor to conduct the tournament in Sri Lanka or the United Arab Emirates wherein PCB wants it to be held in Pakistan. However, it looks like PCB has backtracked its stand of boycotting the 2023 ODI World Cup and will come to India and as per reports it is also expected that Pakistan will play the Asia Cup on a neutral venue and a decision on this will be made very soon in the coming weeks.