'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has informed the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise owners that they are not in favor of the Asia Cup T20 tournament being held this year.
Earlier, reports stated that the 2021 edition of the Asia Cup would be held in June. But, with the PCB announcing that the postponed PSL 2021 would resume in June, the fate of the Asia Cup remains uncertain.
According to a report in PTI, PCB chairman Ehsan Mani conveyed the PSL franchise owners the governing body’s stand on the Asia Cup at a virtual meeting on Thursday.
Mani interacted with the franchise owners as they wanted clarity over whether the Asia Cup event would clash with PSL 2021. A source was quoted as saying in the report:
"Mani made it clear that there was little possibility of the tournament being held this year and it would be moved to 2023 due to the commitments of the participating teams."
The sixth edition of the PSL had to be postponed after multiple COVID-19 cases emerged in the tournament's bio-secure bubble. After six players and one official tested positive, the PCB had decided to halt the edition indefinitely.
On Thursday, the PCB and all the franchises agreed on Karachi as the host when the PSL 2021 resumes in June.
The Pakistan national team will return from their tour of Zimbabwe on May 13 and depart for England on June 26. The PCB will have to organize PSL 2021 between the two tours.
A couple of franchise owners insisted PSL be held in April and asked PCB to pressurize Cricket South Africa (CSA) to reschedule the national team's tour. However, PCB refused to do so as the CSA had supported Pakistan cricket earlier in the year by sending its full Test team to the country.
If Asia Cup is held, India may send second-string side: Reports
In an earlier report, it was claimed that even if the Asia Cup is held this year, the BCCI would have to send a second-string side to the tournament, owing to their tight international schedule.
As of now, the Asia Cup is slated to be held in Sri Lanka in June this year. However, India are scheduled to face New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from June 18-22 in England.
And, considering Covid-19 restrictions and bio-bubbles, India are likely to stay back in the United Kingdom for the five-match Test series against England, which begins on August 4.
