Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja has asserted that if the Indian cricket team does not compete in the Asia Cup, which will be held in Pakistan next year, the Pakistan team will also not compete in the ODI World Cup in India in 2023. Notably, the 2023 Asia Cup will take place before the ODI World Cup next year.
Let them play without Pakistan: Ramiz Raja
Ramiz emphasised that Pakistan has been playing good cricket for the past two years and has defeated India twice (20-20 World Cup 2021 and Asia Cup 2022). Ramiz stated that the PCB’s stance on the matter is unwavering if India does not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
“Our position is blunt that if they (Indian team) come then we will go to the World Cup, if they don’t come then let them do it. Let them play without Pakistan. If Pakistan does not participate in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will see it? We will adopt an aggressive approach, our team is showing performance, we have defeated the biggest business-making cricket team in the world, we have played the final of the T20 World Cup. I have always said that we have to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket and that will only happen when our team performs well, we have done it in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Beat India, we beat India in the Asia Cup, Pakistan cricket team has beaten the board of billion dollar economy twice in one year,” Ramiz Raja was quoted as saying by Urdu News.
Notably, the last multi-nation event held in Pakistan was in 2009, the Asia Cup. After a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team outside the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 2009, teams from around the world stopped touring the country.
When Zimbabwe visited Pakistan for a three-match One-Day International series in 2015, international cricket returned to the country. Sri Lanka, too, lent a helping hand in 2017, despite only visiting Pakistan for one ODI. Several teams have since visited Pakistan, including Australia earlier this year. England will play three Tests in Pakistan beginning December 1st.
