Sports minister Anurag Thakur gives blunt reply after PCB threatens to withdraw from 2023 ODI World Cup

Following Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah’s recent revelation, where he confirmed that India won’t travel to Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup and the continental tournament will take place at a neutral venue, the former Pakistan cricketers have lashed out at him. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also threatened to pull out of the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is set to be held in India later next year.

Amid all this, sports minister and former BCCI chief Anurag Thakur has joined the bandwagon and reacted to PCB’s official statement. While interacting with the media during the announcement of the Khelo India Youth Games on Thursday (October 20), Thakur said, “It’s BCCI’s issue and they will comment on it. India is a sporting powerhouse, where many World Cups have been played. The ODI World Cup will also be held next year in India and all big teams around the planet will participate in it. Because you can’t ignore India in any sport. India has contributed a lot to sports, especially cricket. So, the World Cup will be organised next year, and it will be a grand and historic tournament. The home ministry will take a decision as there are security concerns in Pakistan. It’s not just cricket. India is not in a position to listen to anyone. We will invite all countries for World Cup — those who want to come can come.”

ALSO READ | Amid BCCI vs PCB for Asia Cup, Kamran Akmal calls for Pakistan to boycott T20 World Cup clash vs India

After the recently-held BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on Tuesday (October 18), where Roger Binny commenced a new inning as the board’s 36th chief and Jay Shah resumed his role as the secretary, the latter’s claims on Asia Cup went viral in no time. After the AGM, he had told reporters, “The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue.”

After this, PCB released an official statement which read, “The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment of yesterday’s comments made by the ACC President Mr 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 an overwhelming support and response from the ACC Board Members, Mr 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 the its Members and organise, develop, and promote the game of cricket in Asia.

The overall impact of such statements have 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. The PCB has to date not received any official communication or clarification from the ACC on the statement of the ACC President. As such, the PCB has now requested the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible to discuss this important and sensitive matter,” the statement further added.