Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has ruled out the possibility of seeking India’s approval for bilateral cricket ahead of the Asia Cup.
Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council, stated that future negotiations with India would take place only on equal terms.
“I think we are very clear that whenever talks are held will be on an equal footing with India and there will be no more begging for negotiations. That time has passed and whatever will happen will be on the basis of equality,” Naqvi said at a press conference in Lahore, days before the start of the Asia Cup.
India holds the rights for this year’s Asia Cup, the tournament is being staged in the UAE after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Despite India versus Pakistan matches being the most commercially lucrative contests in world cricket, the two sides now meet only in multi-nation tournaments in a neutral venue.
The PCB has attempted to persuade India to resume bilateral cricket, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has consistently turned down the offer.
The Indian government has made it clear that there will be no bilateral cricket with Pakistan in the foreseeable future.
But the teams will continue to face each other in international tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
The scheduled September 14 Asia Cup group-stage encounter between India and Pakistan has sparked political debate in India.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday demanded that the live telecast of the match be blocked, citing national interest and public sentiment.
Chaturvedi said she was dismayed by the insistence of both the BCCI and the youth affairs and sports ministry on allowing India’s participation in the Asia Cup in the UAE and the fixture against Pakistan.
“Hiding behind the garb of sportsman spirit to allow the match to happen lacks moral courage to stand against the terror nation,” she said.
In a letter addressed to Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who also holds the charge of the information and broadcasting ministry, Chaturvedi urged the government to stop the broadcast and streaming of the high-profile clash.
“Keeping the view of national interest and public sentiment, it is necessary the MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and IT) blocks the live streaming of the India-Pakistan match across all OTT platforms, websites, and apps. Since you also hold the charge of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, I urge you to block broadcasters from telecasting the match live,” she wrote.
India and Pakistan could meet more than once in the Asia Cup, depending on the progression of both teams beyond the group stage.
India and Pakistan will play at the group stage on September 14 in Dubai during the Asia Cup scheduled to start in the UAE from September 9.
