Former Pakistan players Salman Butt and Mudassar Nazar have slammed the BCCI and ICC after Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary and ACC President confirmed that India will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 and the tournament will be moved out of Pakistan.
According to ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP) released earlier this year, Pakistan is scheduled to host two major tournaments over the next three years – the Asia Cup in 2023 and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
In a strongly-worded reply, written to the ACC, the PCB stated that BCCI's refusal to tour Pakistan could “impact” the latter's participation in the next year's ODI World Cup, scheduled to take place in India. Interestingly, Pakistan had refused to tour India for the Asia Cup 2018, which led to the tournament being played in UAE and being won by India.
There is also the possibility of the Asia Cup not happening at all if India refuses to tour Pakistan and this has led the Pakistan cricket fraternity to criticize the BCCI and also ask questions from the ICC.
Salman Butt remarked in his YouTube video, questioning whether ICC exists or not and whether they can stand up to financial heavyweights BCCI.
“Pehle mujhe ye bataayein, kya ICC exist karta hai? Kya vaakayi me vo koi neutral umpire hai? Kya influence nahi hota udhar? Kya heavyweight nahi hai India because they bring more financial backup to the ICC? More than anybody else? (Firstly tell me, does ICC even exist? Is it neutral? Is there no influence there? Is India not the heavyweight there because they bring more financial backup to ICC?),” Butt remarked.
“Jab aisa hota hai, tab time to time you see muscle. Jahan se revenue aata hai, vahan se vo apni chaahat ke hisaab se decisions liye jaate hain. Poori duniya me hota hai ye. It all depends jab ICC me ye meeting hui thi, Jay Shah hi preside kar rahe the, aur ussi me Pakistan ko award hua tha Asia Cup, uss time unhone kya kaha tha, ye voi jaanta hai jo uss meeting me tha. (You see their muscle on things like these. Those who bring revenue have more power. It happens everywhere. When Jay Shah presided the ICC meeting, it was decided that Pakistan will host Asia Cup. What he said then, is something only those who can attend the meeting can tell),” he further said.
He further added that PCB should stand up to the BCCI and boycott traveling to India if they do not visit Pakistan.
“Ab jab unhone naa kar di hai, ye expected decision tha. Iska hal bhi pehle se kar lena chahiye tha. Baar baar iss cheez ki taraf sabko draw kiya jaata hai. Iss se behetar hai ki cricket ho, taaki dono taraf ke cricket lovers iss se affect naa ho. Fans ka nuksaan naa ho, cricketers ka nuksaan naa ho. Agar political tensions hai, toh dono ek doosre ki taraf naa khelein. Lekin ye nahi hai ki Pakistan jaaye, par vo naa aaye. Ye strength PCB ko dikhaani hai, abhi ye mauka hai, vo dikhaayein. (It was expected that India would say no. The solution to it should've been decided earlier. This happens everytime. The focus should be on the cricket so that fans and cricketers don't get affected. If there are political tensions, both teams should avoid touring one another. It shouldn't be that Pakistan tour India, but the latter doesn't come to Pakistan. PCB should show some strength, this is their chance.)," said Butt.
On the other hand, former Pakistan batter Mudassar Nazar has called for Pakistan to boycott India at all levels and not play in any tournament.
Nazar, who played international cricket from 1976 to 1989, didn't mince words in saying that other boards didn't help Pakistan because of financial benefits while backing India.
"Pakistan could not get support from other boards on issues with India because the purpose of other boards is to fill their own pockets. We must now make our own decisions without regard for financial blackmail. I believe we should now refuse to play India at any level,” Nazar was quoted as saying to Cricket Pakistan.
"Looking at what happened with Ganguly in the recent Indian board elections, it is clear that the BJP is interfering in India's and the Asian Cricket Council's affairs. Regarding the Asia Cup, ACC President J Shah appears to be constantly overstepping. This attitude may turn out to be harmful to the ACC," Nazar added.
The arch-rivals are now set to lock horns in the T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match on Sunday, October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
