The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny will travel to Pakistan for the opening ceremon of Asia Cup 2023. The continental tournament will get underway on August 30 with the hosts taking on Nepal in the tournament opener in Multan. While the showpiece event will be played across Pakistan and Sri Lanka, India’s matches are being in the island country after BCCI’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan owing to the tensed political relationship between the two countries.

However, it is now being reported that the BCCI President Roger Binny and Vice-President Rajiv Shukla have accepted PCB’s proposal of having them in Multan for the first match of the competition which is being played in the ODI format this year.

“BCCI President and Vice President are coming to Pakistan for the opening ceremony of Asia Cup,” Zaka Ashraf said as per Pakistan media.

“We welcome everyone who is coming to Pakistan [during Asia Cup]”.

The comments of the PCB chief came at the launch of Pakistan’s jersey for the men’s ODI side. He also reckoned that the Babar Azam-led side could go on to become successful in both the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup in India.

“Our team is currently united and performing well, and consequently is number one in the ODI team rankings,” he said.

“Looking at the recent performances of the team, it is hoped that our team will be successful in the World Cup, however, at the moment all the attention is focused on the Asia Cup,” he added.

The much-anticipated India-Pakistan match is scheduled on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. If both the teams proceed to the Super Fours stage, they will then lock horns on September 10 in Colombo and in case of an IND-PAK final, the two teams will square off at the same venue on September 17.