BCCI Threatens To Boycott Asia Cup If It Is Held In Pakistan
Not much time is left before this year’s Asia Cup takes place but there is still a huge confusion over the venue thanks to the poor bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. India are the defending champions of the tournament but are more than unlikely to visit Pakistan who have been given the hosting rights of the competition by Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Pakistan have made it clear that they are adamant to host the tournament as they desperately try to bring back international cricket in their backyard in full swing. The likes of West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have visited them in recent times and hosting the Asia Cup successfully would help them to convince more nations to visit Pakistan.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has stated that Team India would not travel to Pakistan at any cost, thus raising a big question mark over the venue. A BCCI source has made it clear that the Men in Blue will play the tournament this year only if it is held at a neutral venue.
“The question isn’t about the PCB hosting the tournament. It is about the venue and as things stand now, it is quite clear that we would need a neutral venue. There is no way that an Indian team can visit Pakistan to even participate in a multi-nation event like the Asia Cup,” a BCCI official told news agency IANS.
The BCCI official further said that ACC could hold the tournament in Pakistan but India won’t participate in it. He made it clear that for India to play in the tournament, it would have to be held outside Pakistan.
“If the Asian Cricket Council is ok with an Asia Cup minus India then it is a different ball game. But if India is to participate in the Asia Cup, then the venue cannot be Pakistan,” the official said.
Recently, PCB Wasim Khan stated that there was no question of Pakistan not hosting the competition. As far as India are concerned, he said that the Men in Blue could play their games at a neutral venue.
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