Amid the ongoing row over the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup, former Pakistan captain and selector Shahid Afridi has given his take on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision on the Indian team not travelling to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in September. However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), last year had made it clear that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Continental championship and demanded that the event be moved to a neutral venue.
Pakistan, on the other hand, have even threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup, which will be played in India in October-November. "If anyone is unable to stand on his own feet and then the decision to make such strong calls is not easy," Afridi told Samaa TV.
"They have to look at plenty of things. India agar aankhe dikha raha hain (If India is showing you their eyes) or taking a such strong stance, then they have made themselves that strong, hence they are being able to talk like this, otherwise, they wouldn't have the courage.
In the end, it's making yourself strong and then taking decisions." The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Bahrain earlier this month, which was attended by both BCCI secretary Shah and PCB chairman Sethi along with other ACC board members, no concrete decision could be taken on the venue of the Asia Cup.
"I have no idea, will India visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup? Will we boycott the ODI World Cup in India? But we need to take a stand at some point or the other. In this case, ICC's role becomes crucial, they should come forward, but let me say it even ICC won't be able to do anything in front of BCCI," Afridi added.
Afridi's comment came after veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin gave a sharp response to Pakistan's threat in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. "Asia Cup was supposed to take place in Pakistan.
But India has announced that if it takes place in Pakistan, then we won't be participating. If you want us to participate do change the venue. But we would have seen this happen many times.
"When we say that we won't go to their place, they will say that they will also not come to our place. Similarly, Pakistan has said that they will also not come to the World Cup. But however, I think it is not possible," Ashwin has said on his YouTube channel.