Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad cleared the air when he reacted strongly to reports of the possibility of Asia Cup 2023 shifting out of Pakistan as well, slamming the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). Miandad, in an interaction at a public event in Pakistan, had stated India and its cricket board can “go to hell”, further adding that Pakistan doesn’t need India’s support to be a powerhouse in world cricket as well.
Meanwhile, the delay over the announcement of the hosts for Asia Cup 2023 has led to this between Pakistan and a few Indian cricketers also. While Pakistan have the hosting rights for the tournament, sources said to India Today after an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in February in Bahrain that the tournament would be moved out of Pakistan after India shared their unwillingness to travel to Pakistan.
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And, Javed Miandad had fumed over the incident, questioning the role of the ICC, alleging that the ICC was letting the BCCI influence decisions. Notably, India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since the 2012-13 season and the two teams have only been taking on each other in ICC and ACC tournaments. While Pakistan last travelled to India for the T20 World Cup in 2016, India’s last tour to Pakistan was in 2005-06.
“Do you know what hell means? If you don’t want to play just don’t. We don’t have a problem. Ask the Indian cricketers. They’ll also say that there should be cricket between these two teams in their respective countries. It’ll benefit both nations,” Miandad said in his YouTube video.
“If they think that their (India) not coming to Pakistan makes any difference, let me tell you that it doesn’t. That’s what I meant. We are independent. Pakistan has produced world-class cricketers as well as hockey players. Everywhere around the world, neighbouring countries are playing with each other,” Javed Miandad again shared.
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Meanwhile, Miandad also said that it’s important that the two countries start playing bilateral cricket as he also recalled memories of playing.
“Earlier we used to go there and then they used to come here. When India came to play a series in Pakistan, there were so many people from India who also came to watch. There were no hotels available and the Lahore residents invited them to their houses. It had a very good impact on the relationships between the two countries,” Javed Miandad concluded.
