Pakistan and Sri Lanka's cricket boards in financial dispute over Asia Cup expenses: Reports

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) are locked in a financial dispute regarding the expenses of the 2023 Asia Cup, which they jointly hosted.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) denied letting its team travel to Pakistan, the official host of the competition, because of political reasons. In response, PCB took SLC's help in hosting the majority of the total matches.

The tournament being hosted across two countries meant extra chartered flights and other travel and hospitality expenses. According to The Hindustan Times, the SLC made it clear in an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting last week that it wouldn't incur the expenses because it wasn't the official host.

SLC had asked PCB to pay its dues for hotel charges and flights. Although the SLC got assurances from Pakistan that the former was being processed and would be cleared "soon", the chartered flights' costs are still pending.

The PCB, on the other hand, is demanding the ACC to help with some of the expenses and pay the hosting fee of 2.5 million dollars.

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ACC wanted to host the entire Asia Cup in Sri Lanka

The report also said the ACC wanted to host the entire tournament in Sri Lanka in the wake of the differences but the PCB insisted on hosting four matches at home, which increased the bills.

"When the financial dispute was discussed by the acting chairman of the PCB, Khawar Shah, and CEO Salman Naseer (in Bali), Jay Shah and the SLC were on the same page," the source quoted in the report said.

He also said that it was decided that PCB would clear the SLC's dues. At the moment, the PCB has far paid an upfront amount of $281,700 and agreed to give a further amount of over 2 million dollars for the venues.