Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has commented harshly on the BCCI for refusing to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. Miandad, who has slammed India’s reservations about coming to Pakistan to play cricket, did not stop after the ACC (Asia Cricket Council) approved the ‘hybrid model’ for the Asia Cup, as per which India will be played all its matches in Sri Lanka. However, this didn’t go down well with Miandad, who insists that Pakistan should boycott travelling to India unless they visit them to play a series as well.
“Pakistan has been to India in 2012 and even in 2016 now it is the turn of the Indians to come here. If I had to make a decision, I would never go to India to play any match, even the World Cup. We are always ready to play them (India) but they never respond in the same manner. Pakistan cricket is bigger… we are still producing quality players. India can go to hell. I don’t think even if we don’t go to India, it will make any difference to us,” Javed Miandad told reporters.
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However, the India-Pakistan fiasco isn’t only confined to Asia Cup. There were plenty of issues over Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup 2023 which is slated to be played in India. Although the ICC is yet to announce the official schedule, the India-Pakistan arch-rival encounter is expected to be played on October 15 in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium as well, which promises to garner worldwide attention.
Moreover, as per the latest reports, the PCB’s analytical team has suggested that Pakistan shouldn’t play their World Cup match against Afghanistan on Chennai’s spin-friendly pitch as well. And, Miandad said that Pakistan should take a firm stance and refuse to play unless the BCCI sends its team first as well.
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“I always say one can’t choose its neighbours, so it is better to live by cooperating with each other. And I have always said cricket is a sport which brings people closer to each other and can remove misunderstandings and grievances between countries. It was on the cards that they would again not send their team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup so it is time we also take a strong stand now,” he concluded.
