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Cricket PlayersPakistan Cricket Board wants U-19 Asia Cup out of India, in ‘neutral’ venue
The Pakistan Cricket Board is set to raise a demand to move the U-19 Asia Cup out of India and to a ‘neutral’ venue due to cricketing and political tensions between the nations.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will raise an objection to India hosting the U-19 Asia Cup in the upcoming development and annual general meetings of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), set to take place on August 11 and 12.
The hosting rights have been allotted to India and the matches will happen in Bengaluru. However, Pakistan does not want to send a team to India given the recent political tensions between the two countries.
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“Since Pakistan is current chair of ACC, we will discuss this matter on August 12 in Colombo. There are secure neutral venues outside India and Pakistan where the championship can be held,” Najam Sethi, head of PCB’s executive committee, said to cricket website ESPNcricinfo.
Another unnamed official told the site that whilst Pakistan is willing to play the tournament, it wasn’t feasible to play in India currently.
”We definitely want to play the tournament, being an important member in the ACC. But playing in India in present circumstances is not possible. There will be a visa glitch and a lot of other off-field issues will prevail. We don’t want to face any inconvenience ahead of the event.”
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This isn’t the only recent time that India-Pakistan cricketing ties have been the subject of debate in Pakistan. Yesterday, former Pakistan player and coach Javed Miandad stated that the PCB should boycott India games in future ICC events if bilateral cricketing ties are not resolved.
The U-19 Asia Cup is set to take place in November this year.
