Pakistan, on Tuesday, threatened to pull out of next year’s World Cup in India, reacting strongly to BCCI secretary Jay Shah’s statement that they would prefer to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue. Pakistan is scheduled to host the next edition of the Asia Cup next year as per Asian Cricket Council’s executive board’s decision. Incidentally, Shah is the president of the Asian Cricket Council.
After the BCCI AGM in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shah in an informal gathering of reporters stated that “India will play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue.”
Sources close to PCB chairman Ramiz Raja indicated that one of the options that they are mulling after Shah’s statement is to pull out of 50-over ICC World Cup in India.
“The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hard ball 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 OCB source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
India does play Pakistan at global or continental events but haven’t travelled to the neighbouring country since 2008 Asia Cup. Pakistan last came to India for a short six-match white ball bilateral series in 2012.
The PCB when contacted declined to give an official reaction to Shah’s statement.
“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,” a spokesperson said.
However it has been learnt that PCB Chairman Raja and other senior officials were very upset with the announcement by Jay Shah that India would not travel to Pakistan next year and had decided to take some hard decisions now.
“The PCB officials are surprised at the timing of Jay Shah’s statement because there is still nearly a year to go before the Asia Cup is held in Pakistan in September 2023,” one insider said.
