Shahid Afridi delivers stern remark on Asia Cup 2023 controversy

The Asia Cup 2023 will be the biggest tournament ahead of the ICC World Cup. The participating countries will look to get the best out of it before heading to the marquee tournament. However, the tug-of-war between India and Pakistan regarding the venue of the Asia Cup has not ended yet. Now, former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi stepped forward to add some more fuel to the ongoing controversy. He shelled out a bold statement saying that even the International Cricket Council (ICC) won’t be able to stand against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). After Pakistan earned the hosting right of the upcoming Asia Cup, the Indian board refused to send their team across the border due to political tension between the two countries.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah, following the board’s 91st Annual General Meeting on 18 October 2022, declared that the Indian team will not visit Pakistan for the forthcoming Asia Cup, which is slated to begin in September this year. Shah, who also serves as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), referred to the diplomatic scenario between the neighbouring nations as the reason for the same. The announcement did not go down well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup which India will host in October this year.

Referring to the matter, Afridi lashed out at the ICC for not saying anything about the development, while speaking on Samaa TV. The ex-cricketer further noted that the cricket governing body won’t be able to take any step against the BCCI as the Indian cricket board have made themselves “that strong.” According to Afridi, the Indian board can “take such a strong stance” because of that strength.

“Making such firm decisions is not an easy choice if someone is unable to stand on his own feet. They have a lot of things to consider. India has made itself that strong that it is flexing its muscles. They have the guts to speak in this way. Making oneself strong ultimately leads to making strong decisions,” Afridi explained.

Previously, veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin addressed the topic on his personal YouTube channel. During the session, the India cricketer mentioned “Sri Lanka” as the new venue of the Asia Cup 2023. He also cleared up the fact that it is not possible for Pakistan to ignore the ODI World Cup. The issue is expected to be resolved in March.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.