Ramiz Raja on India
Pakistan Cricket Board chief warns over the adoption of an aggressive strategy on the decisions taken by India’s cricket’s apex body against the tournaments being hosted by Pakistan in the coming future. Let us look at what has been said by Ramiz Raja on India dfor World Cup 2023 and Asia Cup 2023.
During an informal chit-chat with newsmen in Islamabad, Raja spoke about the challenges before the board, especially Team India being a part of Asia Cup 2023.
“Pakistan will not participate in the World Cup 2023 scheduled in India, then who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don’t come then they can play the World Cup without us,” Raja has told Urdu News.
Raja’s remarks were made in the context of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah’s comment made earlier last month where he had said that Team India will not be travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup scheduled to be held in 2023.
Rather, he suggested that the venue will be shifted to UAE. BCCI secretary, who also holds the president’s office at the Asian Cricket Council made PCB react furiously to his remarks to change the venue.
Raja, who has now broken his silence on the matter, said Pakistan’s improved performance recently is speaking for them now and the adoption of an aggressive approach will be a continuous procedure.
“We will adopt an aggressive approach. Our team is showing performance. I’ve always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice,” he said.
According to the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), Pakistan is also scheduled to host the Champions Trophy in 2025 apart from the Asia Cup next year. In 2023, Pakistan would be hosting Australia for a full tour whereas West Indies and England travelling to Asia for their respective tours. Also, New Zealand is going to participate in a tour in Pakistan for the 2 Tests and 3 ODIs going to begin on December 26.
Meanwhile, there were some observations made by the new BCCI president Roger Binny on India playing in Pakistan for Asia Cup. “It is not in BCCI’s hands and the respective government would take a decision,” he said.
Considering the Asia Cup tournament, the past 2 editions were played in UAE. The BCCI despite having hosting rights couldn’t host the tournament in 2018. Whereas in 2022, Sri Lanka became the host but the tournament was played once again in UAE considering the political turmoil in the country.
