Pakistan’s batting legend Javed Miandad lambasted Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and suggested that Pakistan cricket team should refrain from visiting India for matches, including ICC world cup 2023, unless the BCCI agrees to send its team to Pakistan first.
According to the ICC’s draft schedule, Pakistan are set to face India in a highly anticipated World Cup match at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on October 15. However, the ex Pakistani captain believes that it is now India’s turn to act by undertaking a tour of Pakistan.
“Pakistan has been to India in 2012 and even in 2016 now it is the turn of the Indians to come here,” Miandad said.
“If I had to make a decision I would never go to India to play any match, even the World Cup. We are always ready to play them (India) but they never respond in the same manner.”
Pakistan cricket is bigger…we are still producing quality players and pacers. So I don’t think even if we don’t go to India it will make any difference to us,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Indian cricket team last visited Pakistan in 2008 for the 50-over Asia Cup. Since then bilateral cricket ties were suspended due to long-standing geo-political tensions between the two nations.
Miandad feels sports should not be mixed with politics. “I always say one can’t choose its neighbours, so it is better to live by cooperating with each other and I have always said that sport can bring people closer to each other and can remove misunderstandings and grievances between countries,” he said.
Miandad’s fresh attack came after Pakistan were forced to host the upcoming Asia Cup in a hybrid model with India playing all their matches in Sri Lanka.
This decision didn’t go down well with Miandad, a vocal critic of India.”It was on the cards that they would again not send their team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup so it is time we also take a strong stand now,” he concluded.
