Since India won't be going to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, it's unclear where the competition will take place.
The news broke on the day of the BCCI's annual general meeting in Mumbai, where Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), urged that the Asia Cup should be played at a different location in the following year.
After the BCCI's AGM, Shah told the media that the Asia Cup would take place at a neutral location in 2023. I'm expressing this in my capacity as ACC President. They cannot come here, and neither can we [India]. The Asia Cup has previously taken place at a neutral site. When Shah addressed the media, the newly elected officers of the BCCI, including president Roger Binny, treasurer Ashish Shelar, and board vice-president Rajiv Shukla, were present.
Shah's remarks might also have some bearing on two ICC events that will take place in Pakistan and India in the coming years. After the Asia Cup, Pakistan is slated to host the 2025 Champions Trophy, followed by India hosting the 2023 ODI World Cup. It remains to be seen how those tournaments will be affected if Pakistan and India are unable to face each other. Pakistan needed permission from their government to visit India for the 2016 T20 World Cup, and they only received it just in time. It's unlikely that the ICC will make a statement at this time.
Pakistan's most recent visit to India was for the 2016 ICC tournament, while India last travelled to Pakistan for the 2008 Asia Cup. Since Pakistan toured India for a white-ball-only series in 2012–2013, the two nations have not played any bilateral cricket matches due to tense political tensions.
In August and September of this year, at the 2022 Asia Cup in the UAE, India and Pakistan last faced one another.
In the opening game, India's Men in Blue triumphed over Pakistan after a closely contested encounter that lasted till the final over. Hardik Pandya's six-run innings sealed the victory for India.
After losing their subsequent match to Sri Lanka, India was eliminated from the tournament. Pakistan made it to the final, but Sri Lanka defeated them in the summit match and took the trophy home.
On October 23, Australia's Melbourne will host the T20 World Cup, which also features India and Pakistan. There's little doubt that the tension leading up to that game will be a little higher now.
The Asia Cup has been postponed numerous times due to strained relations between India and Pakistan, and both India and Pakistan have previously withdrawn from earlier iterations of the competition. The UAE, which has hosted the competition four times total, hosted the last two seasons.
The BCCI AGM brought up the issue of travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, and members were informed that a choice will be made dependent on Indian government approval.
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