Javed Miandad, the former captain of the Pakistan cricket team has come up with a highly insensitive take on BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 citing security concerns.
As cricketing ties between India and Pakistan continue to remain in a deadlock due to political tensions between the two nations, no decision has been taken on the fate of the Asia Cup.
The issue has become a huge thorn in Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) throat as they have been threatening to boycott the ODI World Cup 2023 in India if India doesn’t tour Pakistan for Asia Cup or suggesting a hybrid model for India to play its games at a neutral venue; there has been no statement from BCCI or even the ICC on this matter.
On Tuesday, another report emerged which stated that as per ICC sources, Pakistan could prefer playing their World Cup matches in Kolkata and Chennai.
India had last toured Pakistan in 2006, while Pakistan last came to India in 2012-13 for an ODI series. After the Pulwama attack in 2019, the bilateral cricketing ties between the two sides stopped.
Zindagi Aur Maut Toh Allah Ke Haath Mein Hai- Javed Miandad On India’s Security Concerns In Pakistan
Meanwhile, Pakistani batting legend Javed Miandad made a highly insensitive remark about India’s security concerns on touring Pakistan. Recently, the police headquarters in Karachi was attacked by Taliban insurgents while a few kilometers down, a PSL match was being played in the National Stadium.
A suicide bomber had attacked a police check post in Quetta when PSL organized an exhibition match there between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators which led to the match being stopped for some time.
On an episode on the Nadir Ali podcast, Miandad was asked about his views on India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan due to ‘security’ concerns.
He said: “Forget security. “We believe that agar maut aani hai toh aani hai. Zindagi aur maut toh allah ke haath mein hai” (If you’re destined to die, you will die. Life and death is in the hands of the almighty). If they call us today, we will go. But they should return too. The thing is the last time we went, but they haven’t come here since. It’s their turn now.”
Even though major teams such as England and Australia touring Pakistan for a full-fledged series, and New Zealand returned to compensate for their aborted tour, certain former India cricketers remain unsure about the security.
“India shouldn’t travel to Pakistan as it isn’t safe there and why are we taking risk of travelling when their own people do not feel secure in their country?” Harbhajan Singh had said.