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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah’s statement about India not travelling to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 and shifting the tournament to a neutral venue has not gone well with the neighbours. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a full-fledged statement calling the statement “disappointing”, the country’s former cricketers are sharing their views one after the other.
The likes of Muhammad Asif and Shahid Afridi have condemned the statement from the BCCI Secretary. Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal has asked the Pakistan team to boycott matches against India on all levels including the upcoming T20 World Cup match on 23 October. Akmal has said that if India are not willing to visit Pakistan for the continental tournament, Pakistan should avoid playing against them at all levels. He also urged Jay Shah to avoid dragging politics into sports.
“I believe Jay Shah’s statement was unexpected, and since he attended the Pakistan-India game during this year’s Asia Cup, he should reserve politics for his opposition and avoid dragging it into sports,” Kamran told ARY news. “Asia Cup should only be hosted in Pakistan and if that does not happen then Pakistan should not play against India at any level, be it ICC events’ matches, Asia Cup matches, or even their match on October 23."
Although there is quite an uproar about Jay Shah’s statement, the two teams are all set to lock horns at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 23 October. The only threat that looms over the clash is rain. With an 80% prediction of showers in the evening, the chances of a match between India and Pakistan look bleak. Nevertheless, the two teams are preparing at full pace with only a couple of days left.