Subscribe
Follow Us
Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis didn't mince words in slamming the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah‘s recent remarks about the Indian cricket team's participation in next year's Asia Cup in Pakistan.
“The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue,” Jay Shah told reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday. “It's the government which decides over the permission of our team visiting Pakistan so we won't comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup, it is decided that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue.”
“I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can't go there [to Pakistan], they can't come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” Jay Shah added.
Waqar Younis leveled serious allegations against the BCCI, accusing the Indian cricket board of trying to “damage” cricket in Pakistan.
“I don't think ye cricket board ka faisla hai. Misbah ne kaha tha ki this is not cricket board, this is coming from the top. Unki badi simple policy hai ki Pakistan ke saath nahi khelna, Pakistan ko tour nahi karna, especially kyunki cricket aakhon me aati hai, zyada log pasand karte hain. (I don't think this is the Indian cricket board's decision. Misbah had said earlier that this was coming from the top. They have a simple policy that they don't want to play against Pakistan or tour the country, because cricket is watched by many),” Waqar Younis said in a conversation with A Sports.
“They want to damage Pakistan, as simple as that. Pakistan should take a stand, and I think PCB gave a good statement. We have to take care of Pakistan cricket, and we have to look after our dignity and respect because that is more important than playing cricket with them. We will see what happens over the next few days,” Waqar Younis added.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar too lashed out at the BCCI and asked the PCB to suspend all cricketing ties with the neighboring country.
Article Continues Below“Pakistan could not get support from other boards on issues with India because the purpose of other boards is to fill their own pockets. We must now make our own decisions without regard for financial blackmail. I believe we should now refuse to play India at any level,” former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar told Cricket Pakistan.
“Looking at what happened with Ganguly in the recent Indian board elections, it is clear that the BJP is interfering in India's and the Asian Cricket Council's affairs. Regarding the Asia Cup, ACC President Jay Shah appears to be constantly overstepping. This attitude may turn out to be harmful to the ACC,” Mudassar Nazar pointed out.
Before Waqar Younis and Mudassar Nazar, several other names from the Pakistani cricketing fraternity, including Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Kamran Akmal shared their disappointment with Jay Shah's remarks and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to take a tough stance on the matter.
“I think Jay Shah should not have said that but since the bullet has been fired I would ask the PCB to take a firm stance on this issue, just like we did in the past [after New Zealand called off Pakistan’s tour at the eleventh hour] and as you know those teams have begun to tour the country,” Younis Khan said.
“But if they [BCCI] decide to stick with their decision then it should not matter to us if the Indian team does not participate in Asia Cup and we should consider not traveling to India for the ODI World Cup the following year, nor we should agree to host Asia Cup at a neutral venue,” Younis Khan added.
On the other hand, Kamran Akmal took his criticism of India to another level as he suggested that Pakistan should boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup game between the sides which is scheduled to take place in Melbourne this Sunday.
Kamran Akmal even backed the PCB to suspend all cricketing relations with India and completely stop playing against them. He put forward a proposal in front of the Pakistan Cricket Board that they shouldn't send any team to compete against India – be it in the Asia Cup, ICC events, or even a bilateral contest.
“I believe Jay Shah’s statement was unexpected, and since he attended the Pakistan-India game during this year’s Asia Cup, he should reserve politics for his opposition and avoid dragging it into sports,” Kamran Akmal stated.
“Asia Cup should only be hosted in Pakistan and if that does not happen then Pakistan should not play against India at any level, be it ICC events' matches, Asia Cup matches, or even their match on October 23,” Kamran Akmal concluded.
