Pakistan cricket community has mocked the statement given by BCCI president Anurag Thakur, saying even when ties between the two countries were better India had avoided playing in a bilateral series.
Thakur is also the president of BJP youth party in India, apart from being a BCCI president. He on Friday said in a statement that there was no question of playing cricket against Pakistan.
“I just don’t understand what he wants to say. For the last eight years India has avoided playing us in a proper bilateral series even when relations were better,” former captain, Muhammad Yousuf said on Saturday.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) avoided any official comments but a top official conceded that Thakur’s statement had caught them by surprise.
“It is an out and out political statement from the President of the BCCI. We are disappointed as we have been trying hard for a long time now to normalise cricket ties with India and we have always believed in keeping sports and politics apart,” the official said.
Yousuf, however, was adamant that the International Cricket Council should take notice of Thakur;s tirade.
“The ICC keeps on saying it will not tolerate politics or government interference in member boards and the BCCI President is making political statements. Either he speaks as a BJP leader or BCCI head,” Yousuf said.
Yusuf lamented whenever Pakistan went to play in Pakistan people enjoyed but unfortunately now the situation is totally different.
Former captain, Rashid Latif said that Thakur’s statement has no weight as India months ago already said that they will not play against Pakistan until they stop terror against India.
“The last time we went to India in 2012 as a goodwill gesture for a short series of one-day and T20 matches but since 2007 the Indian board has avoided playing us at a bilateral level in a full series,” he noted.
Latif said that PCB knew now where it stood as far as relations with BCCI.
Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said that Pakistan always tried to keep the politics out of cricket with India but apparently the BCCI mingled sports with politics.
“They have not played us for so many years so what value is this statement off. I believe that the PCB should seriously think about playing India in the group matches of any ICC event,” he said.