Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh shut down Pakistan anchor Waseem Badami from ARY News while appearing on Aaj Tak channel after the anchor challenged the Indian team not to come to ICC events if they are held in Pakistan.
This came after the ARY channel anchor Waseem Badami asked Harbhajan Singh to react to BCCI secretary and ACC chairman Jay Shah’s statement that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 tournament and that the event will be moved to a neutral venue.
This hasn’t gone down well with PCB, who has threatened to pull out of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 which is to be played in India, and any future ICC events in India.
When the Pakistan anchor got into an argument with his Indian counterpart, Harbhajan stepped in to offer his view.
"Ramiz Raza had given a statement last year that Pakistan Cricket does not have the kind of money and that they need to look towards the BCCI. Either that or if the BCCI offers PCB money, Pakistan cricket is surviving. If you feel, you don't want to come to India, please don't. Who is asking you? If you don't want to play the ICC event, it's your call. If our players are not safe there, we won't send. Don't play if that's what you want," Harbhajan said on Aaj Tak's special show with Pakistan's ARY News.
"Of course, we have (security concerns). You tell me that you'll take the guarantee? Indian cricket can still survive without Pakistan, and if you guys can survive without Indian cricket, do it,” he added.
Things escalated when the Badami laid out a 'challenge' to Harbhajan on live television, saying:
"Harbhajan sahab abhi keh rahe hain, 'Hum nahi aayenge'. Mera inko challenge hai... agar ICC ka tournament, woh bhi World Cup Pakistan mein hua, ye na aayein toh mujhe batayein (Harbhajan sir is very confidently saying right now that India won't come to Pakistan. I challenge him… that if a World Cup is held in Pakistan, and the Indian team doesn't come, we shall see).”
Harbhajan Singh, miffed at the statement of the anchor, accepted the challenge and said:
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"Toh le liya bhai tera challenge (I accept your challenge, buddy). Indian cricket knows how to run their cricket. We don't need PCB. We have an issue and we have said it. If the government gives the approval, sure.”
The anchor further said that, unlike India, Pakistan does not have security concerns and BCCI had no intentions of playing any bilateral series with Pakistan. Harbhajan Singh concluded by saying that giving security clearance to Team India to play Pakistan was in hands of the Indian government.
"See, that is not in my hands, right? It is not my decision. If everyone feels the situation is fine, and that the two countries should play cricket, the authorities will take that call, and there will be cricket. And it has never happened previously that a team has come to India to play a series and had any issues," the former spinner concluded.
Here is the video:
