The ACC has given its stamp of approval to the Hybrid Model proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), bringing an end to the tussle. The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled to commence on August 31, with four matches slated to be held in Pakistan and the remaining nine matches in Sri Lanka.
After a series of debates and deliberations, the continental championship has been successfully sorted, allowing the cricketing fraternity to shift its focus to the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, which is set to take place in India later this year.
Several media reports indicate that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has submitted the final draft of the World Cup schedule to the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the official fixture list will be announced shortly.
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Once the schedule was shared with all participating nations, Pakistan expressed their refusal to play against India in Ahmedabad, raising concerns within the cricketing community.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, in an interview with a local news channel, expressed his bewilderment at the PCB’s decision and urged them to set aside their reluctance and compete in Ahmedabad.
“Why are they declining to play on Ahmedabad pitches? Does it hurl fire or is it haunted?” Afridi questioned. He continued:
“Go and play – go, play and win. If these are the foreseen challenges, then the only way to overcome them is through a comprehensive victory. What matters at the end of the day is the Pakistan team’s win.
The crux only and only lies in there. Take this rather positively. If they [India] are comfortable there, you should go, pull a victory in front of a packed Indian crowd and show them what you got.”
Reports emerged that PCB Chief Najam Sethi had informed ICC officials that the Pakistan team, led by Babar Azam, would not play at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad unless it was a knock-out game.
Sethi has requested the ICC to schedule Pakistan’s matches in Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata if the team receives clearance from the Pakistani government to travel to India for the prestigious global event.