Anurag Thakur recently hit back at PCB chief Ramiz Raja for his warning to BCCI.
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt reacted to the rhetoric of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja and India’s Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur over the BCCI’s stance on not traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023.
Recently, Raja sent shockwaves by claiming that Pakistan would boycott the 2023 World Cup if Team India doesn’t visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. He also claimed that the viewership of the ICC event will take a massive hit if Pakistan doesn’t play in the World Cup in 2023.
His sensational statement came in the wake of BCCI secretary and ACC president Jay Shah’s statement that the venue for the Asia Cup 2023 will be shifted out of Pakistan as the Indian team is not going to travel to the neighboring country.
Raja had told Urdu News: “If Pakistan doesn't take part in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don't come then they can play the World Cup without us. We will adopt an aggressive approach. Our team is showing performance. I've always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice."
To which Thakur gave a befitting response by saying a quote by ANI: “Wait for the right time. India is a major power in the world of sports and no country can overlook India.”
Well now, Butt shared his views on the heated debate, saying Raja is right in his own place and everybody wants improvement in the relationship between the two countries.
Salman Butt said on his YouTube Channel: “What can we say? One is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief and the other is India’s sports minister. It is not going to happen where one will say vanilla ice cream is good and the other party would agree. If one says vanilla, the other would say chocolate, and vice-versa. Some people use this as a podium and stand on it. The political aspect is always there, but the main issue is the betterment of cricket.”
The veteran batter continued, “Ramiz Raja is right. Those who follow Pakistan cricket and are admirers of the team, their interest level will be less if Pakistan doesn’t play. If the India-Pakistan match doesn’t happen, lot of people who were making profits would end up suffering losses. In true sense, people want to see India-Pakistan cricket. They want India to come to Pakistan and Pakistan to go to India. They want improvement in relationships.”
Butt concluded, “I don’t know what will happen (with regard to 2023 World Cup), but at least talk should be constructive. I think they get bored sitting like that. India should play in Pakistan and Pakistan should play in India. Both nations have the right to refuse the other if one is not coming.”
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan only square off against each other in ICC events and continental tournament (Asia Cup) due to political tensions and frosty diplomatic relations.