Pakistan warns India that Asia Cup no-show could ‘split’ cricket

Despite being considered one of the sport’s greatest rivalries, India and Pakistan have not met on home soil in any version of the game since 2012, and only play each other in multinational tournaments on neutral grounds.

Since the two countries independence, India and Pakistan have fought three wars and have been bitter political rivals.

WHAT DID JAY SHAH SAY?

After a meeting of the Board for Control of Indian Cricket (BCCI), Jay Shah said, “The Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC president. We can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here.”

Reacting to Jay Shah’s remarks, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said, The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment yesterday’s comments made by the ACC President Mr Shah with regards to shifting of next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue.”

“The comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the board of the ACC or the PCB, and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications. The overall impact of such statements have the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities,” the PCB said.

The Pakistan board also said that it has not received any official confirmation from ACC and the hosting rights for the Asia Cup, which is to be held in 2023, were given to Pakistan under Jay Shah’s leadership who is the President of ACC.

The PCB said, “Mr Shah’s statement of shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally”, adding that Jay Shah’s comments “can impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC Events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle”.

Pakistan and India are due to meet Sunday in Melbourne in the Twenty20 World Cup.

(With agency inputs)