In a significant development for cricket diplomacy, the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Roger Binny, and Vice-President Rajeev Shukla have landed at Amritsar airport route to Pakistan for the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023. Their visit marks a pivotal moment in cricketing relations between the two nations, and they are expected to attend the marquee match at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.
This historic visit comes as a result of an invitation extended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to members of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and other cricket boards to partake in the mega event. Shukla emphasized that the trip is solely cricket-oriented, devoid of any political agenda. He stated, “This two-day visit is purely from the point of view of cricket, nothing political, a dinner has been hosted, and three teams will be there – Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.”
Binny, on his first visit to Pakistan since 2006, expressed his anticipation and stated, “I am looking forward to my visit since we’ve been to Colombo to see matches in Sri Lanka.”
Addressing the question of why the Indian team did not tour Pakistan for the tournament and the potential for future tours, Rajeev Shukla affirmed that they would adhere to the government’s advice. “We will go by the advice of the government; whatever the government will decide, we will do that.”
The 2023 Asia Cup is a momentous event hosted jointly by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, spanning from August 30 to September 17. Pakistan finds itself in Group A, alongside Nepal and India, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. The tournament’s opener saw Pakistan face Nepal, who made their Asia Cup debut on August 30 in Multan.
The clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, originally scheduled for September 2, was marred by rain in Kandy, resulting in a point each for both teams. India will conclude their group stage matches on Monday against Nepal at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
As cricket transcends borders, this visit by BCCI’s top brass signifies a step towards fostering greater cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, adding another layer of excitement to the Asia Cup 2023.
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