Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to rethink its decision to push for a neutral venue for the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup. The 50-over competition was scheduled to be held in Pakistan and is being seen as a preparatory tournament ahead of the World Cup in India next year.
After its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 18, the BCCI confirmed that it is unwilling to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and will demand that the tournament be moved to a neutral venue.
Reacting to BCCI’s statement, Miandad expressed disappointment and urged the Indian cricket board to keep politics separate from sports. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, he commented:
“Totally, they must play. Keep politics aside. Yes, there are some issues between India and Pakistan, but that should not come in between sports. You are doing wrong with your own people and nothing else. You are not playing against us, but cricket is still going on. You may play or not play against Pakistan, but this nation has always been welcoming.”
On the recent development in the BCCI, with Sourav Ganguly being replaced as president, the Pakistan legend lamented that a lot of politics seems to have come into sports. He said:
“There is too much politics in cricket; it was not like this earlier. Many good people have quit because of this politics. Earlier, there were people in the Indian cricket board who could understand these things (Indo-Pak issues) really well.”
Releasing a statement after BCCI’s AGM, board secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), said:
“Neutral venue for Asia Cup is not unprecedented and we have decided that we will not travel to Pakistan. I have decided that we will play at a neutral venue.”
The BCCI, however, has deferred a decision over the team’s participation in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which is also scheduled to be held in Pakistan.
Pakistan Cricket Board responds to BCCI’s statement
Releasing an official statement over BCCI wanting the 2023 Asia Cup to be shifted to a neutral venue, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed concern and disappointment. The PCB statement read:
“The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment of yesterday’s comments made by the ACC President Mr Jay Shah with regards to shifting of next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue.
“The comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the Board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (event host) and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications.”
India have not played a bilateral series in Pakistan since 2005-06. They, however, did feature in the 2008 Asia Cup held in the country.