Pakistan And Sri Lanka To Jointly Host 2023 Asia Cup

Pakistan will co-host this year's 50-over Asia Cup event with Sri Lanka, organisers announced Thursday, in an effort to avoid a tit-for-tat boycott by India.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series on either side's land since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral venues.

The Pakistan Cricket Board vowed to boycott this year's One-Day International World Cup in India, which is scheduled to begin in October, if its Indian counterpart refused to play in Pakistan. According to an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) release, the six-nation Asia Cup will be played between August 31 and September 17.

"The tournament will be held in a hybrid format, with four matches held in Pakistan and the remaining nine matches held in Sri Lanka," it added.

The statement did not specify the tournament's venues or which teams will compete where, but it is assumed that India's matches will take place on the island nation. According to media sources, Oman Cricket chief and ACC vice-president Pankaj Khimji intervened to mediate a solution between the two sides. India and Pakistan are bitter political adversaries, and the nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars since the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947.

Any cricket match between India and Pakistan is one of the most watched sporting events on the planet.