‘Will India visit Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023? Well, the question has been indirectly answered by the BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who said the tournament will be conducted at a neutral venue. But the statement hasn’t been welcomed by Pakistan’s cricket fraternity at all.
In reply to Shah’s remarks, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued an official statement, mentioning that such stated that such comments have ‘the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities’ and can also ‘impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the 50-over world cup’ next year. The debate is getting intense every day as former cricketers from both countries are jumping into it with their opinions.
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In a recent discussion between Indian news channel Aaj Tak and Pakistan’s ARY News, Harbhajan Singh got involved in a heated conversation with former bowler Tanveer Ahmed. The argument popped up when the anchor highlighted India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, adding that if even a World Cup is held in Pakistan, Team India will visit the neighbouring nation, given the importance of the tournament.
“Last year, Ramiz Raza, in a statement, said Pakistan Cricket does not have the kind of money and that they need to look towards the BCCI. If you feel, you don’t want to come to India, please don’t. Who is asking you? If you don’t want to play in the ICC event, it’s your call. If our players are not safe there, we won’t send. Don’t play if that’s what you want,” Harbhajan said.
Things heated up when Tanveer Ahmed, on of the Ary News panellists, threw a challenge to Harbhajan, saying “Harbhajan abhi keh rahe hain, ‘Hum nahi aayenge’. Mera inko challenge hai… agar ICC ka tournament, woh bhi World Cup Pakistan mein hua, ye na aayein toh mujhe batayein (Harbhajan is saying it confidently that India won’t come to Pakistan. I challenge him… that if a World Cup is held in Pakistan, and the Indian team doesn’t come, we shall see).
Harbhajan was visibly miffed by Tanveer’s words and he said, “Toh le liya bhai tera challenge (I accept your challenge, buddy). Indian cricket knows how to run their cricket. We don’t need PCB. We have an issue and we have said it. If the government gives the approval, sure,” the former India spinner said.
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The argument didn’t just end there. The anchor raised a point that, unlike India, Pakistan do not have security concerns. Still, the cricket boards of both countries haven’t spoken about holding a bilateral series since 2012-13.
To which, Harbhajan replied, “See, that is not in my hands, right? It is not my decision. If everyone feels the situation is fine, and that the two countries should play cricket, the authorities will take that call, and there will be cricket. And it has never happened previously that a team has come to India to play a series and had any issues.”
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