'Moving Asia Cup to accommodate IPL unacceptable for PCB'

Lahore, April 24 (IANS) Making any change to the schedule of the Asia Cup to accommodate the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be objected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), CEO Wasim Khan said."Our stance is absolutely clear, the Asia Cup is set for September and the only reason it should not take place is continued health safety issues. We will not accept that the Asia Cup is moved to accommodate the IPL," Khan said on GTV News Channel."I have heard that there is talk to move the Asia Cup to November-December but for us that is not possible. If you move the Asia Cup you are making way for one member nation and that is not right and it will not have our support," he said. The PCB had initially wanted the Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan but it was eventually decided to be held in the United Arab Emirates in September. However, the cricket calendar has been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic and the UAE is now speculated to be a potential host for the Indian Premier League (IPL) which has been postponed. The BCCI meanwhile maintains that any decision on when the IPL can be held will be arrived at only after the situation around the pandemic improves and the existing lockdown in the country is eased. Board President Sourav Ganguly recently said that there will be no cricket in India in the near future. "There are too many ifs and buts involved. More importantly, I don't believe in sport when there is a risk to human life," said Ganguly.
--IANS rkm/bbh