Legendary pace bowlers from Pakistan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis reacted to the recent controversy of BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirming that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023.
Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), mentioned that the Asia Cup 2023 will be moved to a neutral venue from Pakistan so that India can participate.
“The Asia Cup 2023 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, the Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” Shah had said after the 91st BCCI annual general meeting on Tuesday.
This led to a huge furor with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sending a strong-worded letter to the ACC saying that the decision to move the Asia Cup out of Pakistan was made unilaterally and if India doesn’t travel to Pakistan for the tournament, then PCB might take the step to boycott the 2023 ODI World Cup and not send the Pakistan team to India, who are the hosts.
Now, former Pakistan captain and fast bowler Waqar Younis slammed the BCCI and accused the Indian board of “damaging” Pakistan cricket.
“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),” Younis said during a discussion on 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,” the former Pakistan captain added.
Meanwhile, his former bowling partner and legend Wasim Akram said that India can’t dictate how Pakistan will play cricket and that Jay Shah should have convened a meeting of all members.
He said: “India can’t dictate how Pakistan will play cricket. I am all for political differences and I can’t say what is happening on the political front. People need to speak to each other. Jay Shah should have convened a meeting where other boards could have shared their views. After all the ACC itself has awarded Pakistan, the rights of the Asia Cup."
