KARACHI-Najam Sethi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee, gave a clear message to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on the Asia Cup 2023 matter. 
While talking to an Indian sports channel on Thursday, Sethi said the hybrid model, if accepted for Asia Cup, will apply to ICC World Cup 2023 in India and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. “Our government will not allow us to play World Cup in India because their government stopped BCCI to tour Pakistan for Asia Cup,” stated Sethi, who met a senior Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) representative three days ago in Dubai. 
“Hybrid model is a compromise, but we are ready for it. We have offered to host Asia Cup in two phases, four matches of the group stage will be played in Pakistan. After that, we all will go to a neutral venue to play the rest of the matches including the final,” Sethi explained the PCB-proposed hybrid model.
“If the hybrid model is accepted for Asia Cup, then this will apply to World Cup too. We will play our matches during World Cup in Bangladesh or somewhere else. Also, Champions Trophy 2025 will adopt the same model. It will make things simple for everyone. Meanwhile, if at any stage India agree to come to Pakistan, then we will also go to play World Cup there,” the PCB boss added. 
It must be noted here that the BCCI has been forcing to shift Asia Cup outside Pakistan. They are convincing the ACC members not to play in the Asian event in Pakistan.
Sethi also shared his conversation with a senior ACC representative. “I met a senior ACC representative in Dubai three days ago. I explained the complete hybrid model to him. He went back to Jay Shah to discuss this model. Later on, I had a WhatsApp chat with him in which he said Jay Shah has no problem with it, but he will consult with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka before making any decision,” he disclosed. 
Earlier, Indian media reported that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have opposed PCB’s hybrid model. However, reliable sources in PCB confirmed that both countries have reservations about UAE as the neutral venue due to the routine hot weather there in September [Asia Cup window]. 
In reply to a question, Sethi said there will be no ICC sanctions on Pakistan if they opt out of playing World Cup in India due to security reasons. “There will be no sanctions. There is a clause [Force Majeure] that allows us to decide whether to play or not in case of security concerns,” he asserted. ICC’s force majeure clause allows member countries to opt out of the event if they feel security-related issues or unprecedented situations.