Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Muhammad Zaka Ashraf to discuss matters pertaining to the board and co-hosting the upcoming Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023.

As per a statement released by the Finance Division, a delegation of the PCB, headed by Zaka, called on Dar today.

SAPM-Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, senior officers from the Finance Division and the PCB team also attended the meeting.

“Chairman PCB apprised the finance minister of matters related to the PCB and hosting of Men’s ODI Asia Cup-2023, jointly by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in August-September, 2023,” read the statement.

Dar reiterated government support and cooperation to encourage sports activities all over the country.

“The finance minister further extended full cooperation of the government to make the Asia Cup 2023 event successful,” the statement added.

Last month, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced that Pakistan will jointly host this year’s 50-over Asia Cup tournament with Sri Lanka in a compromise aimed at forestalling a tit-for-tat boycott involving India.

Neighbours India and Pakistan have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds.

The PCB had threatened to boycott this year’s ODI World Cup in India, which is due to start in October, if its Indian counterpart refused to play in Pakistan.

The six-nation Asia Cup will be played between August 31 and September 17, ACC said.