KARACHI
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has backed the Pakistan Cricket Board\u2019s (PCB) current stance over the Asia Cup but has also called for the matter to be dealt with harmony between all parties involved.
\nThe PCB\u2019s interim Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi met the prime minister \u2014 who is also the board\u2019s patron \u2014 on Wednesday and briefed the premier about the \u2018hybrid model\u2019, which the board believes is the solution to the ongoing deadlock between itself and its Indian counterpart over the Asia Cup.
\nWith the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) having refused to send their cricket team to Pakistan \u2014 the rightful hosts of the Asia Cup \u2014 the model was proposed to the Asian Cricket Council as a middle-way to keep the tournament alive.
\nThe model would see Pakistan host the matches not involving India before the competition moves to a neutral venue.
\nWhile the BCCI, led by secretary Jay Shah \u2014 who is also the ACC president \u2014 has unofficially rejected the model, the ACC is yet to hold it executive council\u2019s meeting, which would make a final decision over the fate of the Asia Cup with just around two more months to go before it starts.
\nReportedly, Shah prefers the tournament to be held entirely out of Pakistan, preferably Sri Lanka. If that happens, the PCB may well boycott the tournament.
\nDuring his meeting with Sethi, Online understands, the prime minister was happy with how the PCB chief has handled the issue. The premier, however, asked Sethi to avoid confrontation with the BCCI but assured his backing if Sethi is forced to take a strong step.
\nIn case the model is rejected by the ACC, the PCB is expected to not only withdraw the national side from the tournament but there is also a chance that it will boycott the World Cup, which is set to be held in India in October-November.
\nSethi, though, was told that the government will guide the PCB over the 50-over showpiece \u201ccloser to time\u201d, sources told.
\nWhile the BCCI\u2019s stance is rigid, sources said that there have been \u201cencouraging signs\u201d as other boards \u201chave no problems\u201d playing the Asia Cup in Pakistan\u201c.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has backed the Pakistan Cricket Board\u2019s (PCB) current stance over the Asia Cup but has also called for the matter to be dealt with harmony between all parties involved. The PCB\u2019s interim Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi met the prime minister \u2014 who is also the board\u2019s patron \u2014 on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":336456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-336435","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n