ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Former captain national cricket team Javed Miandad on Wednesday asked Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to give a tit for tat answer to BCCI and boycott playing against arch-rivals India in all ICC events.
“We are a respectable nation. We must give Indians reply in their language. If they are violating the agreement to play against us then we should also boycott them,” he told APP.
The BCCI had signed MoU with PCB to play six series between 2015-2023, with four to be hosted by Pakistan and two by India.
Pakistan is scheduled to host India for the first series in December this year in UAE. But due to BCCI and Indian government’s attitude there are bleak chances of this series now.
Both sides last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India to play two T20s and three ODIs.
Miandad said that the PCB officials should not sacrifice their self-respect in their attempt to persuade the BCCI to play.
“The PCB should forget playing with India. When the BCCI is not honouring its commitment, then we should also refuse to play against their team,” he added.
He said India-Pakistan series was in the interest of both the countries as its financial gains were immense for both of them adding, “If Pakistan declines play with India in ICC events, the BCCI would suffer more (financially) than the PCB.”
Miandad also questioned the impartiality of ICC saying that the world cricket governing body had double standards.
“If it cannot step in and play an active role then what is it doing? Is it only there to play the monitoring role?”
He said that if ICC could not play any role in settling issues between cricket playing nations then it should get dissolved and countries themselves should arrange tours and series with each other.
“The ICC has failed to act impartially. Its role remained dubious in the past too. There have been several incidents in the past when the ICC treated Pakistan rigidly but it remained reluctant to take any action against India.”
He also lashed at Indian government on what he said it was unwilling to provide security to Pakistani sportspersons and actors as well as to its own Muslim minority there.
Shiv Sena protestors recently barged into the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai and demanded that the PCB officials should leave their country. Due to Shiv Sena threats the ICC also withdrew Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar from the ongoing India-South Africa series.
“Is it democracy to give free hand to fanatics and let them do whatever they like to ruin the sport? It happens nowhere in the world. The Modi government should be aware that it would only create problems for itself if it failed to stop these fanatics and protect sportspersons and Muslims.”
Miandad said that cricket players all over the world were a fraternity and asked them to stand with Pakistan at this time and refuse to play in India.
“I tell all the cricketers not to go to India. All international cricketers are like a family. They should express unity with Pakistan and decline to play in India.”
“The Modi government should be told in unequivocal terms that unless it provides protection to sportspersons there will be no more games in their country,” he maintained.
Source: APP
