BCCI will look into it: Anurag Thakur on PCB’s threat to boycott World Cup

NEW DELHI: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said that the BCCI will look into the matter after the statement by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that holding the Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue could affect the Pakistan team’s visit to India for the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2023.

“It’s a matter of BCCI and the board will look into it to make comments. India is a land of sports, where not only one, but many World Cups have been hosted and the next World Cup too will be hosted in India with teams from around the world participating in it. India cannot be ignored in any sector. It has contributed a lot to the world of cricket and the World Cup will be grand, historic and successful,” said Thakur while speaking at the announcement ceremony for the upcoming Khelo India Youth Games.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in an official statement, said that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah’s comments about holding the 2023 Asia Cup at a neutral venue instead of Pakistan could affect the country’s visit to India for the 50-over World Cup next year.

“The overall impact of such statements has the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities and 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”, read a statement from PCB.

“The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment the comments made by the ACC president Jay 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 Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (event host) and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications.

“After having presided over the ACC meeting, during which Pakistan was awarded the ACC Asia Cup with overwhelming support and response from the ACC board members, Shah’s statement of shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally. This is contrary to the philosophy and spirit for which the Asian Cricket Council was formed in September 1983, a united Asian cricket body to safeguard the interests of its members and organise, develop, and promote the game of cricket in Asia.

“The PCB has to date not received any official communication from the ACC on the statement of the ACC president. As such, the PCB has written to the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible on this important and sensitive matter”, the statement said.

The BCCI secretary on Tuesday completely dismissed speculation of Team India travelling to Pakistan for the event and said that the Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue.

“We will have Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It’s the government which decides on the permission of the team visiting Pakistan, so we won’t comment on that. But, for the 2023 Asia Cup, it’s decided that the tournament will be held at some neutral venue,” Shah told reporters after the 91st Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was held in Mumbai on Tuesday. (ANI)