Asia Cup 2023: PCB miffed with ACC president Jay Shah's schedule reveal

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced the schedule of the Asia Cup on July 19, 2023, half an hour ahead of a proposed ceremony for its announcement by the PCB

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is miffed with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Jay Shah. The reason for displeasure is Shah’s announcement of the schedule of the upcoming Asia Cup. Pakistan are official hosts of Asia Cup 2023, but are forced to co-host the tournament with Sri Lanka because India refused to travel to Pakistan. 

"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.

It is understood that PCB wrote to ACC regarding its concerns about the unfortunate incident. However, they received a reply which was considered clumsy by PCB administrators.  

"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.

Did Shah exact revenge?

Although it was called a mistake on the part of Shah, the PCB construed it as an act of exacting revenge on the part of the Indian cricket’s administrator. A source close to the developments said that Shah was unruly and untimely questioned by PCB’s Cricket Management Committee’s head Zaka Asharaf at the ICC Annual Meet in Durban earlier last week. 

"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.

Asia Cup 2023

The Asia Cup will begin on August 30 with the opening match between Pakistan and first-time participants Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium. 

Pakistan will host four games, including a super four encounter while Sri Lanka will host nine games including the final. India will play all its matches in Sri Lanka. 

With Agency Inputs