Will the Indian cricket team tour Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup or not? And whether Pakistan squad will visit India to take part in the ODI World Cup, which also falls next year. There are very bleak chances of India visiting the neighbouring country, but the uncertainty over the issue continues.
The Indian team hasn’t visited Pakistan for years. The two teams haven’t played any bilateral cricket with each other for a long time. They have only played the game in ICC matches. Indian team stopped visiting Pakistan over various terror activities directed towards it from the Pak soil.
The two countries have strained relations. Pakistan has been sending Islamic terrorists to India. Another sour point is that Pakistan keeps trying to raise issue of Kashmir at international fora. India has always held that Kashmir is an internal issue. Terrorism and sports can not go hand in hand is the Indian stand.
Pakistan the terror hot-spot
Due to troubled condition in its own country, Pakistan has been forced to host several ‘home series’ in the UAE for about a decade now. However, some international teams have now started to tour the country. But, the chances of the Indian squad touring Pak for the Asia Cup seem to be very bleak so far.
In the latest statement on the tussle, former Indian cricket player and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir, has given a cautious statement. He has said that the BCCI and PCB has to collectively take the decision.
This statement comes after PCB chairman Ramiz Raja’s statement. Ramiz had earlier said that if the Indian players don’t tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup, his team would also not go to India for the ODI World Cup. He had talked about adopting ‘aggressive approach’ after BCCI general secretary Jay Shah said Indian team will not be travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year.