Ex-Pakistan captain Javed Miandad made a controversial remark when reacting to reports claiming that the Asia Cup 2023 could be shifted out of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Taking a dig at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), Miandad had said that the India can “go to hell.” He said that Pakistan do not depend on India to become a strong force in the cricketing sphere.
For the unversed, it is Pakistan who are the designated hosts of the Asia Cup but the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had categorically said that India won’t be travelling to Pakistan. Shah, who is also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), even said that the tournament will have to be shifted out of Pakistan.
The same has not gone too well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) whose Chairman Najam Sethi has reportedly threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup in India later this year if BCCI remains adamant on not sending their team to Pakistan. BCCI’s stance has resulted in a war of words between former cricketers of both the countries and Miandad, in this context, had made the bombshell remark.
Miandad explains what ‘hell’ means
“Do you know what hell means? If you don’t want to play just don’t. We don’t have a problem. Ask the Indian cricketers. They’ll also say that there should be cricket between these two teams in their respective countries. It’ll benefit both nations,” Miandad said in his YouTube video to clarify his earlier comment which he said while speaking to the media.
“If they think that their (India) not coming to Pakistan makes any difference, let me tell you that it doesn’t. That’s what I meant. We are independent. Pakistan has produced world-class cricketers as well as hockey players. Everywhere around the world, neighbouring countries are playing with each other,” he added.
