India-Pakistan relations in the cricketing fraternity witnessed another low on Tuesday (18) after Jay Shah, the secretary of the Indian cricket board or Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remarked that India will not travel to Pakistan to play in next year's Asia Cup and that they would prefer to play the tournament at a neutral venue.
Pakistan strongly reacted to Shah's viewpoint by threatening to pull out of next year's 50-over World Cup which is scheduled in India.
Pakistan is scheduled to play host to the next edition of the Asia Cup next year as per the decision of the executive board of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) which is headed by Shah.
His remarks on India willing to play in next year's Asia Cup at a neutral venue came during an informal gathering of reporters after the BCCI's annual general meeting which was held in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Shah is the son of Indian home minister Amit Shah, who is the second-most powerful leader of the country's ruling Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party led by prime minister Narendra Modi.
Press Trust of India cited sources close to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja indicating that one of the options that the country's board was considering after Shah's statement was to pull out of the 50-over World Cup which is to be held in India next year.
"The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hard ball because it is also aware that the ICC (International Cricket Council) and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team events," a senior PCB source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
India do play Pakistan at global or continental events but haven't travelled to the neighbouring country since the 2008 Asia Cup. Pakistan last came to India for a short six-match white ball bilateral series in 2012.
When contacted, the PCB refused to give an official reaction to Shah's statement, PTI added.
"We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the ICC board meeting in Melbourne next month," a spokesperson said.
However, it has been learnt that Raja and other senior officials were very upset with the announcement by Shah that India would not travel to Pakistan next year and had decided to take some hard decisions now.
"The PCB officials are surprised at the timing of Jay Shah's statement because there is still nearly a year to go before the Asia Cup is held in Pakistan in September 2023," one insider said.
[With PTI inputs]
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