Guwahati: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announced on Thursday that India will host the whole 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2023.
His remarks came after Pakistan vowed to boycott the 2023 World Cup when Jay Shah, the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), announced that a neutral site would host the Asia Cup in place of Pakistan.
According to the sports minister, India is unafraid of any danger and won’t be prevented from holding the competition.
“Since it is a BCCI internal problem, the organisation would handle it wisely. While hosting international competitions in the past, we have never done anything improper. Before, we successfully hosted a World Cup, and all of the teams took part with joy. Next year, we’ll host the competition, and every team will participate “Thakur stated.
India will host the premier cricket competition by themselves for the first time ever in 2023. Both the 1987 and 1996 World Cups were co-hosted by it with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In 2011, when Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India co-hosted the event, it returned to India. In the tournament’s 2011 iteration, India also took first place.
In a noteworthy statement released on Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) warned that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah’s remarks on hosting the 2023 Asia Cup in a neutral location rather than Pakistan could have an impact on Pakistan’s trip to India for the 50-over World Cup the following year.
“The overall impact of such statements has the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities and can impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC Events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle.” read a statement from PCB.
“The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment yesterday’s comments made by the ACC President Mr Jay Shah with regards to shifting of next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue. The comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the Board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (event host) and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications.”
“After having presided over the ACC meeting during which Pakistan was awarded the ACC Asia Cup with overwhelming support and response from the ACC Board Members, Shah’s statement of shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally. This is contrary to the philosophy and spirit for which the Asian Cricket Council was formed in September 1983, a united Asian cricket body to safeguard the interests of its members and organise, develop, and promote the game of cricket in Asia.”
“The PCB has to date not received any official communication from the ACC on the statement of the ACC President. As such, the PCB has written to the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible on this important and sensitive matter,” the statement concluded.
The Asia Cup would be conducted at a neutral location, the BCCI secretary stated on Tuesday, entirely dispelling rumours that Team India would travel there for the event.
“The 2023 Asia Cup will take place at a neutral site. We won’t comment on whether the government will allow the team to visit Pakistan because that is a government decision, but the 2023 Asia Cup will be held at a neutral location “Shah told reporters following the Tuesday in Mumbai held 91st Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).