"Indians want to see Pakistan play cricket in India" - Shahid Afridi
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi commented on the ongoing back-and-forth verbal exchange between the two cricketing boards regarding their participation in major events.
The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary set things rolling after he expressed his concern over the Indian team traveling to their neighboring nation for the 2023 Asia Cup. The decision to request a neutral venue was taken at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), where Roger Binny was elected as the new BCCI president.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) counterpart Ramiz Raja retorted by stating that Babar Azam and Co. will pull out of the 2023 ODI World Cup should India not turn up to the country for the Asia Cup or manage to avail a neutral venue for the tournament.
The Men in Green last hosted an international tournament in the form of the 2008 Asia Cup.
Ramiz Raja is not coming slow😎
#Cricket #RamizRaja #PCB #BCCI https://t.co/MDI4xuuE4Z
Speaking about the ongoing volatile situation between the BCCI and PCB, Afridi told the media:
"The relations between Pakistan and India have always improved due to cricket. Indians want to see Pakistan play cricket in India."
Raja recently added another layer to his initial statement as well. He asserted that the squad will pull out of the Asia Cup if it is not conducted on their soil. He told the media:
"It's not as if we don't have hosting rights and we're pleading to host it. We won the rights fair and square. If India doesn't come, they won't come. If the Asia Cup gets taken away from Pakistan, maybe we're the ones that pull out."
It is also to be noted that the country also has the hosting rights for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
India last toured Pakistan for a bilateral series in 2005-06
The Men in Blue's last trip across the border for a bilateral series came almost 16 years ago. As previously mentioned, India toured the nation once again for the 2008 Asia Cup, which marks their last official visit.
The Men in Green toured India for a white-ball series in 2012 and visited the neighboring nation to play the 2016 T20 World Cup as well.
Ramiz Raja "Why give Asia Cup to us in the first place & then make all those statements that India will not travel. India cannot come because the government will not allow them because that's been the stated position, but to take the Asia Cup away from us is not right" #Cricket
The arch-rivals' recent set of contests have come during multi-nation tournaments such as ICC events and the Asia Cup. Red-ball cricket has been out of the question, with their last match in the longest format taking place in 2007.
Countries like England and Australia have been open to hosting a potential bilateral series across all formats, but the two nations in question have remained firm over their stance of only competing against each other in multi-nation tournaments.
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Will the 2023 Asia Cup take place in Pakistan or will India be successful in their attempt for a neutral venue? Let us know what you think.