Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not taking a strong stance about holding the entire Asia Cup 2023 in the country and said that they have officially bowed down to India.
According to several reports, Team India won’t be traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, due to which they might play their matches in another country, possibly in UAE or Qatar.
Reports had also suggested that Pakistan might play its matches in Pakistan, while India playing at a neutral venue. And if India reached the final of the Asia cup, the match would be shifted to the same venue.
However, a BCCI source recently revealed that if the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) believes hosting the tournament in the two countries is not commercially viable, then they might shift it out of Pakistan.
There were also talks of Pakistan using the same as an excuse to force the ICC to let them play their World Cup 2023 matches in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka instead of in hosts India.
However, Rashid Latif, a right-handed wicket-keeper batter who played for Men in Green from 1992 to 2003, said that PCB had bowed down in front of the BCCI.
He told Cricket Pakistan: “They [PCB] have bowed down officially [in front of India]. Now, they can say whatever they want in media, it doesn’t matter.”
During his career, Latif has played in 37 Test matches and 166 ODIs for his country.
If India Plays Its Asia Cup Matches At Neutral Venue, Then We Might Follow The Same Pattern In World Cup: Najam Sethi
On the other hand, PCB chief Najam Sethi stated that there should be a middle way to solve problems related to Indo-Pak cricket relations. He indicated that if the Indian government doesn’t allow BCCI to send the Indian team to Pakistan for Asia, then Pakistan might not come to India for the World Cup.
According to Cricket Pakistan, Sethi said: “In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer.
There should be a middle way to solve problems that ensure the smooth hosting of ICC and ACC events. In case of India’s refusal to travel for the Asia Cup, the government might not allow us to travel to India to figure in the World Cup matches.”
On the possibility of a hybrid model for the Asia Cup, Najam Sethi said:
“We have already floated the idea of a hybrid model to the ACC member countries whereby India should be allowed to play their matches at neutral venue of their choice. When it comes to our participation in the 2023 ODI World Cup, we might follow the same pattern.”
The Asia Cup is scheduled in September this year and is to be played in 50-over format.