Ramiz Raja ‘threatens’ India to come to Asia Cup
PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD chairman Ramiz Raja has said that if India chooses to opt-out of the Asia Cup which will be held in Pakistan next year, then Pakistan will also not travel to India to take part in the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Earlier in October, BCCI secretary Jay Shah completely dismissed the speculations of Team India travelling to Pakistan for the event and said that the Asia Cup would be held at a neutral venue.
‘Our position is blunt that if they (Indian team) come then we will go to the World Cup, if they do not 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 in the final of the T20 World Cup,’ Ramiz told Pakistan media.
‘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,’ he added.
Following PCB chief’s statement, India’s Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said India will host the 2023 World Cup with all teams.
The minister added that India is not afraid of any threat and it will not stop them from hosting the tournament.