PCB unhappy with Jay Shah for sharing Asia Cup schedule before time

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)  expressed its dissatisfaction with Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the sources privy to the development said on Friday.

 The contention arose when Jay Shah announced the schedule for the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023 ahead of the official ceremony organized by the PCB in Lahore.

The Asia Cup 2023 is now set to commence on August 30, with Pakistan facing Nepal in the opening match in Multan. The tournament will be played in the 50-overs format, featuring 13 matches, with Group A consisting of Pakistan, India, and Nepal, and Group B including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four stage, where they will compete for a spot in the final. The tournament's final is scheduled for September 17 in Colombo.

I am happy to announce the schedule for the highly anticipated Men's ODI #AsiaCup2023, a symbol of unity and togetherness binding diverse nations together! Let's join hands in the celebration of cricketing excellence and cherish the bonds that connect us all. @ACCMedia1 pic.twitter.com/9uPgx6intP

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 19, 2023

The sources said that PCB and ACC had agreed to release the schedule five minutes into the ceremony.

However, Jay Shah surprised them by revealing the Asia Cup schedule on social media, approximately half an hour before the scheduled ceremony time of 7:15 pm.

The ACC cited misunderstandings over the time difference as the reason for the premature announcement, but the time difference between India and Pakistan is only half an hour, making Jay Shah's announcement an unexpected shock for the PCB and the cricketing fraternity.

There are speculations that Jay Shah's move might have been influenced by previous confusion and questions about his acceptance of an invitation from Zaka Ashraf to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup matches.

Chair of the PCB Management Committee, Chaudhry Muhammad Zaka Ashraf announces schedule of the ACC Men's #AsiaCup2023

Full event ➡️ https://t.co/wy0mjHSILd pic.twitter.com/vIUpF2vDIf

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 19, 2023