While the schedule for the World Cup 2023 is finalized, there is still uncertainty around the participation of the Pakistani team in the tournament in India.
The PCB will seek clearance from the Pakistani government, and it will take some more months as there is a chance that the current Pakistani government could be replaced by a new one later on. This has further complicated matters for both the PCB and the ICC. While it’s highly unlikely that Pakistan will pull out of an ICC event, there are calls from some quarters in Pakistan that the Men In Green should not travel to India for the World Cup 2023 if India don’t travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 in August-September.
Even some former Pakistani players have said that Pakistan should not fly to India. However, former Pakistan skipper and legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi is of the view that Pakistan should travel to India and win the World Cup 2023 to make the biggest statement possible.
Speaking in the media recently, Shahid Afridi was queried about whether he thinks Babar Azam’s side should travel to India for the World Cup.
Recalling an incident from Pakistan’s 2005 tour of India, Shahid Afridi alleged that the public in Bangalore threw stones at the Pakistani team bus when they were in the city for a Test match. The former captain said that this motivated his side further and they went on to win the Bangalore Test match, making a comeback in the series after they were 1-0 down.
Shahid Afridi said: “That was a pressure time [in 2005 tour]. Even if we hit sixes and fours, nobody would applaud. In the Bangalore Test, when we were winning, the public threw stones at our bus when we were going to the hotel. The pressure of traveling to India will be there.
“But there is also fun in playing under pressure. For those people who are saying Pakistan shouldn’t go to India, and should boycott the World Cup, I am completely against them. Go there and win.”
Watch: Shahid Afridi’s strong message to Babar Azam’s team on travelling to India
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi reveals stones were thrown on their bus in Bangalore when they won the Test match there.
He still believes Pakistan should travel to India and win the World Cup there. pic.twitter.com/QABZ6tQCLk
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 14, 2023
A senior person on Twitter then exposed Afridi’s lies, saying that he was speaking incorrectly against the Indian public. Here see how a fan exposed Afridi’s blunt lies.
The only incident that happened on that Pakistani tour of India in 2005 was a stone being thrown at the Pakistani bus in Dharamsala, where they played the first tour game.
Not too sure about any stone(s) being thrown at the Pakistani team bus in Bangalore in 2005. https://t.co/OC75vArOyR
— Vijay A (@VAAChandran) July 14, 2023
