Pakistan Threaten India to Pull Out of 2023 ODI World Cup if Latter Refuses to Travel to Pakistan For Asia Cup: Report
Pakistan could pull out of World Cup 2023 after BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the 2023 Asia Cup will be played at a neutral venue.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah dropped a bomb regarding the Asia Cup 2023 as he announced that India will not tour Pakistan for the continental tournament and it will take place at a neutral venue.
The decision of shifting the venue hasn’t gone well with Pakistan Cricket Board as their chairman Ramiz Raja has now threatened India to pull out of the 2023 ODI World Cup which is set to take place in India next year.
“The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hardball because it is also aware that the ICC and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team events,” a senior PCB source told PTI .
For the unversed, India and Pakistan don’t play bilateral series against each other. In fact, India made their last visit to Pakistan back in 2008 and the bilateral cricket ties between the arch-rivals have been suspended since then.
The two neighbouring countries, however, still face each other at the ICC and ACC events. Their clashes are always high-intensity with fans across the world keeping an eye on the match.
On being asked about the decision of Jay Shah regarding the Asia Cup 2023 venue, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson declined to answer, stating:
“We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the ICC board meeting in Melbourne next month.”
Pakistan to pull out of ACC?
The PCB sources further stated that Raja will soon send a letter to the Asia Cup Council (ACC) on the issue, demanding an emergency meeting of the board in Australia next month to discuss Jay Shah’s decision.
“The PCB is wondering in what capacity has Jay Shah given the statement that the ACC will look to relocate the Asia Cup to UAE out of Pakistan because the hosting rights were awarded by the executive board of the ACC, not the President,” the PCB source stated.
“One option under consideration will be to pull out of the ACC as the PCB believes the ACC was formed to promote and develop cricket in the region and forge unity among the member nations. But the President of the ACC is going to give statements like these, there is no use for Pakistan to remain in the body.”
