What does Javed Miandad think about India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 controversy?

 

Former national side skipper Javed Miandad — sharing his opinion on the controversy surrounding India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 — has said that it is India's turn to visit the country since Pakistan had made the trip earlier.

Miandad said he believed that Pakistan would have no problems going to India “even if they were to invite us today”, speaking at a podcast with a Pakistani YouTuber.

Upon being asked if India should visit Pakistan, Miandad immediately responded: “They should definitely come.”

On being asked regarding the issue of “security” raised by the Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI), he said: "There should be no concern about security. We believe that death will come when it is destined.

If they call us today, we will go. But they should return the move. The thing is the last time we went, they haven't come here since. It's their turn now," the former skipper said.

He then shared that the countries should work together and improve bilateral relations since they were very similar.

“Even Indians believe this,” he said. “We are neighbours, and so we can exchange many things. Such a relationship would benefit both. However, only if the exchange is mutual.

“It can not be that it is a one-sided thing.”

Earlier this year, Miandad had expressed his anger at India's decision while talking to media personnel and said that India could "go to hell" if they don’t want to tour Pakistan.

The BCCI, in October last year, refused to tour Pakistan, which is set to host the 2023 Asia Cup later this year. Since then, the controversy has only grown deeper.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that if India refuses the tour, Pakistan will refuse to travel to India for the 2023 ICC World Cup. The cricketing body has also shared a hybrid model for conducting the Indian matches in a neutral location.

Moreover, recently, Chairman of PCB Management Committee Najam Sethi rejected any possibility of giving away Pakistan's right to host the upcoming Asia Cup, saying that it was "not an option".

The last bilateral series between the arch-rivals took place in 2012, when Pakistan toured India for limited-overs matches.

Over the past few years, the two countries have only faced each other in ICC and ACC events.