- Jay Shah met with Zaka Ashraf to discuss issues related to Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup.
- Ashraf said that Shah was positive about resuming cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.
- Both sides agreed to continue discussions in the future.
On Wednesday, Jay Shah, the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), dismissed rumors that India might visit Pakistan during the current Asia Cup.
In a meeting on the eve of the chief executives’ committee meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual session in Durban, South Africa, on Tuesday, Shah accepted the invitation to tour Pakistan from Zaka Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee.
“I have not agreed to anything. This is just plain miscommunication. Probably done deliberately or mischievously. I’ll not be making any visit,” Jay Shah told the local Indian media on Wednesday morning.
Earlier, PCB’s Ashraf acknowledged his two talks with Indian officials on Tuesday while speaking to The News from Durban.
“First, it was three on three meeting with all leading officials present from both countries, who engaged in group meetings,” said Ashraf.
“Later, it was one on one meeting. I discussed different options to resume cricketing ties with Jay Shah, who was also positive and accepted my invitation to tour Pakistan during or before the start of the Asia Cup.
“He also invited me to take a trip to India during the World Cup, which I accepted. I told him that the Pakistani nation always respected their guests and welcomed them.”
According to Ashraf, both sets of discussions were successful because cricket authorities from both nations heard each other out.
The cricket governing bodies’ decision to strengthen relations through future negotiations is the finest development, according to Ashraf.
These talks may signal the start of the revival of cricket between the two nations after a long hiatus.
The 50-over format will be used at the Asia Cup cricket tournament, which runs from August 31 to September 17.
There will be 13 One Day Internationals in which India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal will face off.
These teams are split into two groups, with Pakistan, India, and Nepal making up Group A. Group B currently consists of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
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