Several ex-Pakistani players criticized the decision, and the Pakistan Cricket Board threatened to boycott the...
Digital Desk: The Asia Cup 2023 was supposed to be hosted in Pakistan, but there were always doubts about whether India would travel there given the two nations' bad diplomatic relations. Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), confirmed the fears when he said a few days ago that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, and that the event would instead be hosted in a neutral location.
Several ex-Pakistani players criticized the decision, and the Pakistan Cricket Board threatened to boycott the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in retaliation. Former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi has now jumped on board, claiming that BCCI acted hastily in making their choice.
"Yaha pe BCCI ne thoda bachkana harqat ki hai. Thoda time le lete, koi baat nahi agar yahi lena tha World Cup k baad le lete.India-Pakistan ka World Cup ka match, usse pahle is tarike ka bayan dena mere khayal se jaldbaazi thi. Hamesha hamare realtion ko cricket ne accha banaya hai. Humne jis tarha India ko welcome kia 2003-04 mein phir hum jab India gaye toh jis tarha hame welcome ki gaya wo dono desho k relation ko mazboot karta hai. Jitni cricket hogi utni relationship behtar rahenge. (BCCI gave a childish statement. They should have taken some time. There was a World Cup match coming up, before that, there was no need for such a statement. Cricket has always unified India and Pakistan, bringing the two nations closer. I remember how the Indian team was welcomed in Pakistan in 2003-04 and then when we went to India what a warm welcome we got. The more India and Pakistan play, the stronger their relations will be,) "Afridi said on ABP News.
Shahid Afridi has also suggested that Pakistan withdraw from the ACC because they, too, have a large part to play in this decision.
"ACC ka role ismein bohut zyada hai. Agar India nahi hai Asia Cup khelne jo ki nahi hona chaie, unhe ana chaie. But agar nahi ate toh Pakistan ke paas option hai ACC se bahar jane ka. If hamari batein nahi suni ja rahi, then ACC se alag rakh lena chaie. (ICC has a big role to play here. If India doesn't come to play the Asia Cup, then Pakistan has the option of pulling out of the ACC," he added.
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