A battle of boards has been waged between PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and BCCI (Board of control for cricket India) since India pulled out of Asia Cup which is to be staged in Pakistan and proposed to move the showpiece to a neutral one. Tempers flared when PCB chairman Ramiz Raja in a rebuttal said that Pakistan would not go to next year's ODI World Cup in India.
And once again Raja has made an incendiary statement that further risks disrupting any kind of agreement between the two boards. Raja said Pakistan has the right as hosts to pull out of Asia Cup if it is moved to a neutral venue. Speaking with the press after the enclosure of the second day of the first test between England and Pakistan in Rawalpindi, Raja said he would not care less if Bangladesh and Sri Lanka followed India.
“ACC (Asian Cricket Council) gave us the right to host the Asia Cup, uske bad India kehta hai hum nahi ayenge. To main maan sakta hu ki unki ek political unki hai…to nahi aye. Magar Asia Cup humse leke neutral venue pe jana…ye nai hone wala. (ACC gave us the rights to host the Asia Cup, and I understand BCCI has some politics involved in it, so they can choose to opt out. But taking the tournament from us and moving into a neutral venue is not going to happen)"
When asked if PCB can host Asia Cup in the absence of India, Raja came up with another brusque reply stating as hosts they can do as they please.
“Nai kyu nai kar sakte. Magar hum to available hain na. Ye to humara right hai, ya to hum kuch aisi cheez puch rahe ho ki hume mili nai ho aur zor laga rahe ho.(Yes, why not? We are available as hosts. We are not asking for something which wasn’t given to us.)"
When another person interjected that what if Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also pull out, Raja responded by saying that Pakistan will also pull out if Asia Cup is relocated to a neutral venue.
When another reporter pontificated what if Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow India's lead by pulling out of Asia Cup, Raja in an eye for an eye response said that Pakistan would also withdraw from Asia Cup in case PCB loses the rights to host it in Pakistan.
“To wo nai ate to nahi aye (if they don’t want to come, so be it), but if this (Asia Cup) goes out we will pull out.”
