Gautam Gambhir Reacts To Ramiz Raja's "Pakistan Won't Tour India For 2023 ODI World Cup" Comment

A tussle seems to have been triggered betwen the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ever since Jay Shah suggested that India won't travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. Ramiz Raja, the PCB chairman, countered Shah's comments saying if the Indian players don't come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, his team would not go to India for the ODI World Cup which also takes place next year. Even former India opener Gautam Gambhir has now reacted to Raja's comments on the matter.

Gambhir, as quoted by news agency ANI, said that whatever decision is taken by the two boards, will be taken collectively.

"This is the decision of BCCI and PCB. Whatever decision they take, they will take it together," he had told ANI.

Earlier, Ramiz Raja had said on Urdu News that the Pakistan team wouldn't travel to India for the ODI World Cup next year if the BCCI doesn't send its team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.

"If Pakistan don't take part in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don't come then they can play the World Cup without us. We will adopt an aggressive approach. Our team is showing performance. I've always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice."

The Indian cricket team hasn't toured Pakistan in 2005-06. The two teams haven't played any bilateral cricket with each other for years and have only locked horns in ICC events.

Over the last decade or so, Pakistan have been hosting a number of 'home' series in UAE but international teams have started to tour the country of late. However, the possibilities of the Indian team touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup still look pretty slim.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Ramiz Raja Gautam Gambhir BCCI Cricket