DUBAI: The long-running conflict between Pakistan and India regarding their participation in this year’s Asia Cup and Men’s ODI World Cup will take centre stage in the International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting this weekend.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan for the aforementioned tournament on political grounds.

The BCCI has maintained their stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup, while the PCB is adamant that if they do not, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.

Meanwhile, the first quarterly meeting of the year got underway on Thursday with the women’s cricket committee and continued on Friday with the men’s committee.

Yet the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on Saturday will be the focus of attention before the ICC Board and Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee convene on Sunday and Monday as one of the most pressing topics – the prevailing deadlock between Pakistan and India – will be under discussion.

The chairman of the PCB management committee Najam Sethi is likely to raise Pakistan’s concerns about India’s hesitance in touring their country as the nation is poised to host ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 apart from this year’s Asia Cup.

“We have complex issues on hand but for me when I go to the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) and ICC meetings I have kept all options open for us and we have to take a clear position now,” said Sethi at a press conference earlier this week.

“There are two different matters, one is of ICC and the other is of ACC. This is not only about Asia Cup because we also have to host the Champions Trophy. I will go and talk with both ICC and ACC on this matter,” he added.

However, the final decision regarding Pakistan’s participation in ODI World Cup in India will be taken by the government, Sethi confirmed on Monday.

“I have approached our government to take their point of view on this matter. If our patron [PM Shehbaz Sharif] asks us to go and play World Cup in India regardless of whether they come here to play Asia Cup or not, we will have to consider it,” he said.

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