Ramiz Raja sharply criticized for fiery remark on Pakistan boycotting World Cup Cricket 2023: Unnecessary and avoidable controversies are being made by Ramiz Raja, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief. His recent comment over the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s comment on Asia Cup 2023 to be held in Pakistan and Pakistan wanting to boycott the ODI World Cup scheduled to be held next year in India has created a lot of controversies in world cricket. Many reactions to Ramiz Raja’s statement started coming about taking on the BCCI and boycotting the World Cup 2023 in India. Some cricketers and office-bearers of the cricket board in India have sharply criticized Ramiz’s remark as Pakistan Cricket Board chief.
Background and Ex-Bowler Kaneria’s Response
Recall that it was about a month back when the BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that Team India won’t travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year and would ask the management to change the venue from Pakistan to UAE. On this remark from Jay Shah, Ramiz hit back with remark “if India don’t come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, Babar Azam-led side will boycott the World Cup scheduled to take place in India next year.”
But ex-bowler from Pakistan Danish Kaneria said that he feels that India will remain unfazed by these threats from PCB and opined that it will be Pakistan’s loss if they decide not to play the World Cup. Kaneria opined, “The PCB does not have enough guts to boycott an ICC event. India, on the other hand, don’t care if Pakistan don’t come. They have a huge market that generates a lot of revenue. Not travelling to India for the World Cup will have a major effect on Pakistan.”
Kaneria further said that “Pakistan will ultimately travel to India for the World Cup. Officials will say that they had no other option as there was pressure from the ICC. It will hurt Pakistan cricket badly if they talk about skipping an ICC event again and again.”
Kaneria was logical when he said that India will not have any major impact Pakistan boycotting the World Cup Cricket 2023 to be held in India, and it will be Pakistan who would be adversely impacted and would bring bad name to Pakistan and its cricket.
Although ACC are yet to hold a meeting over Shah’s comment last month, Kaneria warned Ramiz that it could be possible that teams like Bangladesh and Afghanistan might also join India in boycotting the Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan owing to condition in the country.
Know Who All Criticized Ramiz Raja’s Remarks
Sharp reactions from India are also doing the round. Gautam Gambhir, the India opener, has also reacted to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja’s threat Pakistan boycotting the 2023 World Cup. Gambhir said, “This is the decision of BCCI and PCB. Whatever decision they take, they will take it together.” The controversy started after the BCCI secretary and ACC president Jay Shah confirmed last month that India will not travel Pakistan for Asia Cup next year and that the tournament will be shifted to a neutral venue. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reacted strongly to Jay Shah’s statement and sent a letter to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) informing about their reservations about the ACC chief’s statement.
Further to that letter to ACC, Raja told Urdu News that no one will watch the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India if Pakistan will not participate, and that it will hurt both the BCCI and ICC economically.
Ramiz Raja said that “If Pakistan doesn’t take part in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don’t come then they can play the World Cup without us. We will adopt an aggressive approach. Our team is showing performance. I’ve always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice.”
The Indian Union Minister for Sports, Anurag Thakur, also replied in a hard-hitting words to Ramiz Raja, “Wait for the right time. India is a major power in the world of sports & no country can overlook India.”
Hope the Sports and Sporting Spirits Will Prevail
But controversies on the Asia Cup 2023 to be held in Pakistan and the World Cup 2023 to be held in India, and whether India and Pakistan will take part in each other’s country or not, are far from getting over. Each passing day there is a comment or the other on these issues. Hope the controversies will rest with time and the sports and sporting spirits will prevail.