The 2023 ODI World Cup is still 10-11 months away, but the tension between the BCCI and the PCB has started and it has nothing to do with the off-field action.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has once again reiterated his stand that if Team India doesn’t travel to Pakistan next year for the Asia Cup 2023, then the PCB won’t send the Pakistan team for the 2023 World Cup to India.
India hasn’t traveled to Pakistan for 14 years because of the political and border tensions between the two nations. It then seemed a possibility when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), headed by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, gave Pakistan the hosting rights for the 2023 Asia Cup.
However, sometime after that decision, Jay Shah himself announced that India will not be traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and that the tournament itself could be shifted to a neutral venue, most likely the UAE.
This has fumed Ramiz Raja, who launched an attack on the arch-rivals, saying that the PCB will boycott the 2023 WC in India if the Men In Blue don’t fly to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
Ramiz told Urdu News on Friday, “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,” Ramiz added.
Gautam Gambhir gives his reply to Ramiz Raja
Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir was asked about his reaction to Ramiz’s fiery statement. The two-time World Cup winner who is part of the ruling party BJP remained tight-lipped, saying that the two boards will take their decision.
“This is the decision of BCCI and PCB. Whatever decision they take, they will take it together,” he had told ANI.
Earlier, Anurag Thakur, the Minister of Sports, had given a strong response to Ramiz Raja saying: “Wait for the right time. India is a major power in the world of sports & no country can overlook India.”
