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BCCI elected new office bearers in Mumbai on Tuesday. Re-elected secretary, Jay Shah, talked about the 2023 Asia Cup. Shah said India is not planning to travel to Pakistan to attend the event. He said the BCCI will request a neutral venue for the tournament.
🗣 "The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue" – BCCI secretary Jay Shah
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 18, 2022
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Jay Shah’s statement is against the earlier stand made by the BCCI. The top cricket body had earlier revealed they were not hesitant to go to Pakistan for the prestigious tournament. However, the cricket body has now taken a U-turn on the issue.
England played in Pakistan, but India won’t. Why?
2019 World Cup champions, England came to Pakistan to take part in a seven-match T20 series last month. The touring nation won the bilateral series, and they also praised the facilities and security measures of the host nation. Their word of appreciation is significant for one reason, which is that Pakistan was making a return to international cricket as a host nation.
The new office bearers of BCCI ✅
Representatives in the IPL Governing Council ✅
Representative of the General Body elected in the Apex Council of the BCCI ✅ pic.twitter.com/BTvaGT2Otc
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 18, 2022
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Previously, they had to play many games in the UAE as teams cited security concerns to attend games in Pakistan. India has also cited two major reasons they cannot travel to Pakistan. One is the worry about the safety of the players. They are not convinced the players will be completely safe and fear a repeat of what happened to Sri Lanka players in the past. They were shot at in Lahore in March, 2009.
Who will be Sachin Tendulkar for India this time…
Also some posts are mandatory before Ind vs Pak game.#INDvsPAK #T20WorldCup2022 #SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/QWh8GeZ38J
— 𝑨𝒌𝒖𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒖𝒓 (@Loyalsachfan01) October 16, 2022
The tense bilateral ties between the two nations are also a major concern for the BCCI. It would mean the players may face abuse and violent behaviour from the fans. The recent political developments in Pakistan, which have established military rule, are another crucial contention raised by the Indian cricket body.
Will Men in Blue ever play in Pakistan?
Going by the current developments, it is unlikely to witness a bilateral tour between the two nations. BCCI is not interested in making such a move, and it is in line with the Indian government’s Pakistan policy.
Ind vs Pak famous win | Unforgettable Bowl Out #cricket #india #Pakistan #MSDhoni #YuvrajSingh #IndvsPak pic.twitter.com/ExZZwaAPGg
— Kanvi Malhotra (@sportsmantube) October 13, 2022
As a result, cricket lovers may have to wait for ICC events to witness the teams clash against each other. The loss is that of fans because it has been one of the biggest rivalries in the game.
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