Najam Sethi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee, has responded to former cricketer, Shahid Afridi’s criticism regarding the possibility of Men in Green boycotting the World Cup in India over the Asia Cup venue fiasco.
Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi made a striking comment, suggesting that a victory for his national team in the upcoming ODI World Cup in India would serve as a strong response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The 46-year-old world cup winner believes that the management should handle the situation tactfully and allow the team to visit India. He further asserted that winning the tournament on Indian soil would be a ‘tight slap’ to the BCCI.
“I don’t understand why they [PCB] are so adamant and keep saying that we won’t go to India. They need to simplify the situation and understand that an international cricket tournament is happening – take it rather positively; go and play. Tell your boys to get the trophy; the whole nation stands behind you. It’ll not only be a big win for us but a tight slap on the face of BCCI,” Afridi had said.
In response, Sethi made it clear that neither Afridi nor even Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, had any say in the decision to represent Pakistan in the World Cup.
“The decision to go for the World Cup is not Shahid Afridi’s, nor is it Jay Shah’s or mine. This decision belongs to the Indian government on their side and the Pakistani government on our side,” Sethi told BBC.
We Will Definitely Go: Najam Sethi On Pakistan Government Permission
Sethi emphasized that Pakistan would undoubtedly take part in the World Cup if the Pakistani government provided the PCB with assurances that it was safe for the team to travel to India and compete there. He made it clear that the PCB’s position was subject to the Pakistani government’s approval of the security situation in India.
“If the Pakistani government says that our team can go and play the World Cup in India, then we will definitely go,” he said.
The final say in each country’s participation in the World Cup rests with its separate governments, thus the PCB will carefully assess and take into account all relevant aspects up until the point at which the security situation is judged sufficient.