Reports: PCB chief Zaka Ashraf to meet with BCCI secretary Jay Shah to facilitate ‘confidence-building’ measures between two countries

Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam and Zaka Ashraf. (Photo Source: Daniel Pockett- ICC/ICC via Getty Images and Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might have gone through a lot of ups and downs in the past few weeks but they are still looking forward to having bilateral series against India in the near future. In the same light, the chairman of PCB’s interim management committee, Zaka Ashraf, is set to have a meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Jay Shah, on Tuesday, July 11, on the side of an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Durban, South Africa.

The 70-year-old Ashraf, who is also on the lookout for a new chief selector, said that he was hopeful of having a meeting with Shah to build confidence so that the teams can travel to the other country to play cricket.

“Today, hopefully [I] will have a meeting with Jay Shah to discuss relations between both boards and build confidence-building measures for both countries to play in both countries and develop relations in cricket,” Ashraf told Dawn.com on Tuesday.

It is important to note that Pakistan is scheduled to travel to India to play in the upcoming ODI World Cup in October-November. However, the Pakistan government is yet to give clearance for the same. Meanwhile, India maintained that they would not travel to Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup. Eventually, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) agreed to a hybrid model for the upcoming Asia Cup. Pakistan were initially scheduled to be the hosts. However, Sri Lanka will now be co-hosting the event alongside Pakistan and India’s matches will be held in the island nation.

Asia Cup 2023 schedule yet to be announced

Pakistan is set to host four matches in the impending Asia Cup that will serve as great preparation ahead of the ODI World Cup. Sri Lanka will be hosting the remaining matches. The tournament will begin on August 31 and the summit clash will be played on September 17.

India, Pakistan, and Nepal are placed in Group 1 while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are placed in Group 2. The schedule for the tournament is yet to be announced.