Pakistan, on Tuesday, threatened to boycott World Cup 2023 in India, reacting strongly to BCCI secretary Jay Shah’s statement that India would prefer to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue. Pakistan is scheduled to host the next edition of the Asia Cup 2023 as per Asian Cricket Council’s executive board’s decision. Incidentally, Shah is the president of the Asian Cricket Council. Sources close to PCB chairman Ramiz Raja indicated that the board is thinking about pulling out of 50-over ICC World Cup in India.
An anonymous source of PTI in PCB said, “The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hard ball because it is also aware that the ICC and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team event. We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the ICC board meeting in Melbourne next month.”
WATCH – Irish Fielder Injures Kumar Dharamsena With Attempt Of A Direct Hit
India does play Pakistan apart from the multi-nation events and they haven’t even traveled to the neighboring country since the 2008 Asia Cup. The PCB when contacted declined to give an official reaction to Shah’s statement. However, it has been learned that Ramiz Raja and other PCB officials were very upset with the announcement by Jay Shah that India would not travel to Pakistan next year.
PTI’s source informed that the board had been aware that the issue of India traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup was on the BCCI AGM but didn’t expect any announcement or statements on this issue at this time.
The anonymous PCB official explained, “The PCB is wondering in what capacity has Jay Shah given the statement that the ACC will look to relocate the Asia Cup to UAE out of Pakistan because the hosting rights were awarded by the executive board of the ACC not the President.”
ALSO READ: Junaid Siddique Flexed His Muscles After Hitting A 109m Six
The PCB sources said that Ramiz Raja would be sending a strong letter to the ACC on the matter and would be demanding an emergency meeting of the ACC board to be convened in Melbourne next month to discuss Shah’s statement. The insider also disclosed that the Pakistan board had decided to look at several options and would not accept any disruption to its hosting rights.
The official added, “One option under consideration will be to pull out of the ACC as the PCB believes the ACC was formed to promote and develop cricket in the region and forge unity among the member nations. But the President of the ACC is going to give statements like these, there is no use for Pakistan to remain in the body.”
