PCB unhappy with Asia Cup schedule being announced before official ceremony in Lahore, makes explosive claim: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly expressed its disappointment over the Asia Cup schedule being revealed before the official ceremony.

The schedule for the 2023 Asia Cup was announced last week, with the tournament being co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a first. The iconic Group A clash between India and Pakistan takes place in Kandy, and there's a possibility of the two sides meeting thrice throughout the edition. Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Jay Shah had announced the schedule on Wednesday but according to news agency PTI, the Pakistan Cricket Board has now objected to Shah confirming the schedule before the official ceremony, which was hosted in Lahore.

The PCB had reportedly expressed its displeasure over the timing of Asia Cup schedule being announced (File)

According to PCB, the schedule was supposed to have been released in Lahore during the official ceremony but the ACC President tweeted the same half-an-hour before the event in Pakistan began. The July 19 event in Lahore was attended by a few former Pakistan cricketers and PCB’s Cricket Management Committee (CMC) headed by Zaka Ashraf.

"The PCB had a clear understanding with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) (that) it would release the schedule of the Asia Cup, five minutes after the ceremony started in Lahore. But unfortunately, half-an-hour before the ceremony started around 7.15 P.M, Jay Shah had announced it on social media," one reliable source in the board told PTI.

The source said that the decision to announce the schedule by Jay Shah had spoilt the PCB's ceremony, which was held but lost its relevance as the schedule was already out.

"The ACC's explanation was about misunderstandings over the time difference and all that, but the thing is, India is half-an-hour ahead of Pakistan time, so Jay Shah's announcement was a shock,” the source said.

Another source in the board claimed that it appeared as if Shah had settled scores for the unprofessional manner in which the PCB chairman Ashraf and the sports minister, Ahsan Mazari, had handled the meeting held between Shah and Ashraf in Durban during the ICC annual meeting.

"It appears as if Jay Shah settled scores after the confusion and questions he had to face over, whether he had accepted an invitation from Zaka to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup matches which was widely circulated by Mazari and the PCB in the media,” the source said.

The Asia Cup will begin in Multan with Pakistan and Nepal meeting in the first match of Group A. The Babar Azam-led side will then travel to Sri Lanka to play against India before returning to home soil for its first Super Fours match, provided it qualifies for the stage. India, meanwhile, will play all of their matches in the island nation.