BCCI President Roger Binny, Vice-President Rajiv Shukla to Visit Pakistan for Asia Cup: Report

The BCCI top brass will travel to Pakistan to watch a couple of Asia Cup 2023 matches. The much-awaited tournament begins on August 30 with the Babar Azam-led side squaring off against Nepal in the opener in Multan. As per the hybrid module proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), 4 out of 13 games will be played in the host nation and the rest in Sri Lanka.

As reported by news agency PTI, BCCI president Roger Binny and vice-president Rajeev Shukla have accepted PCB’s invitation and will be in Lahore from September 4-7 during which they will watch a couple of Asia Cup games.

The PCB had extended the invitation to all the principal office-bearers of BCCI and it is understood that the president and vice-president have got the Indian board’s approval to accept the invitation accorded to them.

“Binny, Shukla and secretary Jay Shah will be in Sri Lanka for the marquee India vs Pakistan clash in Pallekele (Kandy) on September 2. The trio will be back in India on September 3 after which BCCI president and vice-president will travel through Wagah border to Lahore,” a source privy to development was quoted as saying by the agency.

In fact, both Binny and Shukla have been invited with their respective spouses for an official dinner scheduled to be hosted by the PCB at the Governor’s House in Lahore on September 4.

The two BCCI dignitaries will watch the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka game on September 5 and Pakistan’s opening Super Four fixture the next day. It must be mentioned that Shukla had also been a part of the Indian cricket contingent when Sourav Ganguly led the team to a historic series win in 2004.

After much deliberation, it was decided that the tournament will be held across Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Bilateral cricket relations between India and Pakistan have been non-existent for years now due to the strained diplomatic relations between the two neighbours. The two teams play each other only at ICC and continental events with Pakistan set to travel to India later this year for the ODI World Cup.

(With PTI Inputs)