IND vs PAK: "When The Time Is Right, We Will Start Playing Pakistan Again": Roger Binny

Roger Binny, the newly elected president of the Indian Cricket Board, stated on Thursday that the pressure already being placed on the players ahead of the highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match, which is scheduled for Sunday, October 23, will not be increased by the ongoing dispute between the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding travel to the Asia Cup in 2023. 

Roger Binny, a 1983 World Cup champion, emphasised to India Today’s Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai that the BCCI cannot make choices about India’s trip to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year on its own and must follow the government’s lead in this regard. 

BCCI and PCB appear to be at odds over the Asia Cup in 2023, just days before the potentially explosive match between India and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jay Shah Proposes To Conduct Asia Cup 2023 At A Neutral Venue

The Asia Cup would be hosted in Pakistan, which holds the hosting rights, but BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah stated on October 18 that they will work to have the event conducted in a neutral location. 

In a stern reaction to Jay Shah’s remarks, the PCB threatened to boycott the upcoming World Cup in India in 2023. The Pakistani board added that it was unexpected to hear Shah propose a neutral venue for the Asia Cup after the PCB was given the hosting rights during a meeting he presided over. 

Former players on both sides of the border have spoken on the Asia Cup dispute, and attention has been drawn to it even as Indian and Pakistani cricketers displayed their friendship in the days leading up to their T20 World Cup encounter on Sunday.

You Can’t Blame The Cricketers: Roger Binny

Notably, all of the T20 World Cup team leaders were present at the cake-cutting ceremony for Babar Azam’s birthday, but only India skipper Rohit Sharma. 

“I don’t think it affects the cricketers. These things will be spoken about. You can’t blame the BCCI, you can’t blame the cricketers for it. It’s something that we have to take in stride,” Binny told India Today.

“In the past, when India were to host the last Asia Cup, we didn’t do it. We gave it to the UAE to do it because Pakistan couldn’t come in over here. We can’t change things overnight. It will have to take some more time. When the time is right, we will start playing Pakistan again,” he added.  

Furthermore, Roger Binny noted that despite the absence of bilateral cricket between the two Asian superpowers, the players from the two teams have always had a strong sense of friendship. In 2012–2013, India and Pakistan’s last bilateral cricket match took place. Since then, the two sides have only faced off in ICC and ACC competitions. 

It’s The Public That Builds Up The Pressure: Roger Binny

Roger Binny also addressed the intense anticipation for India vs. Pakistan matchups in important competitions, stating that the players likely don’t feel as much pressure as the supporters of their teams.

“Pressure is built up outside the team, I think. There is a lot of hype, it’s the public that builds up the pressure. They are more tensed than the players. It’s all very well for the public to get behind the players and get them to do well,” he added.  

India was defeated by Pakistan by 10 wickets in their T20 World Cup 2021 encounter in the UAE. But after recovering with a victory in the Asia Cup group-stage encounter, Rohit Sharma’s team lost to Pakistan in the Super 4 round of the continental competition in September. 

The teams from India and Pakistan both landed in Melbourne on Thursday, days before their T20 World Cup Super 12 matchup. 

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