The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah, has accepted an invitation from Pakistan Cricket Board Interim Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf to visit Pakistan ahead of the Asia Cup, reveals Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination.
On the sidelines of the forthcoming International Cricket Council meetings in South Africa, Zaka extended the invitation to Shah, also the president of the Asian Cricket Council. Shah accepted and has reciprocated with an invitation to India before the World Cup. These discussions aim to facilitate Shah’s first-hand experience of security arrangements in Pakistan.
Hesitations around the World Cup
These interactions occur amid uncertainty about Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in India, scheduled from October 5 to November 19. Bilateral games between the two cricketing powerhouses have stalled since 2012, with interactions limited to multi-team tournaments.
“Shah expressed that India’s inability to visit Pakistan is due to government orders,” shared Mazari. If governments on both sides could resolve this issue, a visit might be possible, indicating some thawing in the frosty relations.
The question of Pakistan’s World Cup participation remains open. An 11-member special committee, established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and led by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, is assessing the situation.
Hybrid Model for Asia Cup
The “hybrid model” for the Asia Cup – whereby Pakistan and Sri Lanka would host, ensuring India’s involvement – has received acceptance from all Asian Cricket Council members. Despite earlier reservations, Mazari has now stated he has no issue with this approach, and Zaka confirmed the PCB would respect this commitment made by the previous interim Management Committee.
Finally, Zaka is looking to discuss potential avenues for reviving bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan with his BCCI counterpart. These talks aim to overcome past barriers and foster stronger relations between the two cricketing nations.
 secretary, Jay Shah, has accepted an invitation from Pakistan Cricket Board Interim Management Committee chairman, Zaka Ashraf, to visit Pakistan ahead of the Asia Cup. This move reignites hope for the revival of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan.){kind=link}