The tussle between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the BCCI doesn’t seem to be ending soon. The salvo began after ACC president Jay Shah said India won’t travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year and the event would be conducted at a neutral venue. Since then, PCB chief Ramiz Raja has been firing potshots at the Indian cricket board.
Raja, also a former Pakistan cricket captain, has been in news lately for his remarks at BCCI. And now, he has again threatened to pull out of the ODI World Cup 2023, slated to take place in India, Pakistan are denied the opportunity to host the Asia Cup. However, he did mention that both nations should resume the old practice of hosting each other again.
“We don’t want to really go there but it’s just that the fans want us to react. The fans are absolutely bitter because of what India’s narrative has been regarding India-Pakistan,” Raja told Sky Sports Cricket on Saturday.
“I think there’s a government policy and I’ve got no idea whether they’ll come or not. The Asia Cup would mean a great deal to the fans, it’s a multi-nation tournament. We will resist,” he added.
Raja further expressed that he backs the idea of resuming the bilateral series between India and Pakistan which used to be a regular affair a decade ago.
“I’m all for India-Pakistan contests, I’ve said this on record. I absolutely love the fans, and they like us as well – Pakistan has become a brand in international cricket, the players have got fan following in India, and I know that the second most watched team in India after India is Pakistan, so they take interest in our development,” Raja said.
“We want to go and play, but the fact is it has to be on equal terms. You can’t be subservient to a certain cricket board. We’ve survived without India now for a good number of years. Pakistan have looked at the scales of economy in-house and somehow have survived extremely well,” he concluded.
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