PCB threatens to pull out of the Asia Cup 2023 if it shifts from Pakistan

Ramiz Raja [Source: Twitter]

The off-field tussle between India and Pakistan seems to continue for a while, as the PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has responded with a stricter reply to India's negative stance on touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. 

For information, the PCB had earned the hosting rights of the Asia Cup scheduled next year. But the BCCI has made it clear that India won't travel to Pakistan to participate in the event, something they have been doing since a long time. In such a scenario, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) had hinted at a potential shift of the tournament from Pakistan. 

Raja, who earlier threatened to pull out of the ODI World Cup in India, has now stressed that Pakistan won't participate in the Asia Cup if it is taken away from them. 

Here's what Raja said

"It's not as if we don't have hosting rights and we're pleading to host it. We won the rights fair and square. If India doesn't come, they won't come. If the Asia Cup gets taken away from Pakistan, maybe we're the ones that pull out."

The political tension between the two neighbouring countries has also resulted in the rescheduling of the Asia Cup in the past. To note, the Asia Cup 2018 was moved to UAE following Pakistan's refusal to tour India. 

Thus, although the players from both sides enjoy a great bond with each other, the friendship between the concerned boards seems a distant dream for the time being. 

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