Home Ministry To Take Call On Team India's Travel To Pakistan For Asia Cup 2023: Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

Union sports minister Anurag Thakur said that India's home ministry will take a call on the men's team traveling for the 2023 Asia Cup, scheduled in Pakistan.

This comes after BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated that team India will not travel to Pakistan for the continental tournament during the 91st Annual General Meeting of the BCCI in Mumbai on Wednesday.

During the AGM, Shah said, "The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue. I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can't go there [to Pakistan], they can't come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue."

Shah's statement prompted a reply from Pakistan Cricket Board where the PCB drafted an official statement stating "surprise" and "disappointment" regarding Shah's comments on shifting the 2023 Asia Cup to a neutral venue.

The statement added, "The overall impact of such statements have the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities, and can impact Pakistan's visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC Events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle."

Newly elected BCCI president Roger Binny also reiterated Thakur's statement, saying, "We have to get clearance from the government. Once we get clearance, we give a go-ahead. We can't take the decision on our own. That's not the BCCI's call."

Both India and Pakistan's men's teams are in Australia for the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The two teams will face each other on Sunday at the MCG to commence their campaign.