Terming BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah’s statement ‘childish’, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said PCB have the right to pull out of the council if India do not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2023. A little more than a week ago, Jay Shah confirmed that next year’s Asia Cup will be shifted out of Pakistan and will be played in a neutral venue as India won’t be able to travel to Pakistan. The comments drew sharp criticism from noted former cricketers in Pakistan. PCB, in fact, threatened to withdraw from the 2023 ODI World Cup in India if the Rohit Sharma-led side doesn’t travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup.

Afridi said the statement was made in a haste. The fact that it came a few days before India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match in Melbourne, which India won in the last ball, made it worse, said Afridi.

“Yaha pe BCCI ne thoda bachkana harqat ki hai. Thoda time le lete, koi baat nahi agar decision unhe yahi lena tha World Cup k baad le lete. India-Pakistan ka World Cup ka match, usse pahle is tarike ka bayan dena mere khayal se jaldbaazi thi. Hamesha hamare realtion ko cricket ne accha banaya hai. Humne jis tarha India ko welcome kia 2003-04 mein phir hum jab India gaye toh jis tarha hame welcome ki gaya wo dono desho k relation ko mazboot karta hai. Jitni cricket hogi utni relationship behtar rahenge. (BCCI gave a childish statement. They should have taken some time. There was a World Cup match coming up, before that, there was no need for such a statement. Cricket has always unified India and Pakistan, bringing the two nations closer. I remember how the Indian team was welcomed in Pakistan in 2003-04 and then when we went to India what a warm welcome we got. The more India and Pakistan play, the stronger their relations will be,) Afridi said on ABP News.

The swashbuckling former all-rounder said if Pakistan’s demands are not being met then they should consider pulling out of ACC.

“ICC ka role ismein bohut zyada hai. Agar India nahi hai Asia Cup khelne jo ki nahi hona chaie, unhe ana chaie. But agar nahi ate toh Pakistan ke paas option hai ACC se bahar jane ka. Agar hamari batein nahi suni ja rahi toh hume alag rakh lena chaie ACC se. (ICC has a big role to play here. If India don’t come to play Asia Cup then Pakistan have the option of pulling out of ACC,” he added.

India and Pakistan currently play only in Asia Cups and ICC tournaments. The last bilateral series between the countries was way back in 2012-13 when Pakistan came to India for a three-match ODI series.