Politicising cricket is not a good idea as it denies good cricket to millions of fans on both sides
The announcement by Jay Shah, the secretary of BCCI that India won't go to Pakistan to play the Asia Cup 2023, has saddened the cricket world. Shah also made it clear that Pakistan can't come to India either. He has hinted that the match should be played at any other venue outside Pakistan. Asia cup is a major cricketing event that brings the two Asian giants India and Pakistan face to face which otherwise are not playing one-on-one since 2006. India canceled all its tours to Pakistan after the Mumbai attack in 2008. The last time the Indian team visited Pakistan was in 2006. In retaliation, the Pakistani cricket Board officials have hinted that they might decide to pull out of the World Cup to be held in India. This is an unfortunate day for the game of cricket. The politics has seeped into the gentlemen's game and is now threatening to undo it. Perhaps cricket is the only bridge left between the two hostile neighbors. The PCB has as expected shown its disappointment and disapproval of the ACC President Jay Shah and said his comments were not warranted as they were made without prior discussion with the board of the ACC or the PCB and that it could have 'long-term consequences and implications.'
PCB has made a valid point as throwing a spanner in the worksl would hurt all, of course, PCB would be the worst hit. Besides, there was no immediate provocation as in 2008, when Pakistan's involvement in the Mumbai attacks outraged the nation and India did the right thing to snap all ties with Pakistan. But then all rivalries should come to an end especially now when the two teams enjoy excellent understanding and bonhomie. Apart from the loss of revenue to the ICC and the two cricket boards, it is also a big loss for the millions of cricket fans on both sides of the border who look forward to the event. It is a fact that today India is the big boy of cricket. Its cricketing revenue keeps the ICC going and also many cricket boards, including PCB which get a share from ICC. Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja once pointed out that it is Indian ad revenue that keeps the PCB going. Indeed India could pull the plug on PCB but that would not be a nice thing to do as it would make India the bad boy of cricket which is happy to kill the competition by unfair means. If India has to fight Pakistan let it be on the 22-yard pitch and not in the boardrooms of cricket boards.