‘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’
India–Pakistan cricket remains a blockbuster event, but efforts to revive bilateral ties continue to hit a dead end. With another Asia Cup clash looming, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that Pakistan will no longer ‘beg’ India to resume cricketing relations.
Beyond bilateral series, the two boards have often clashed over hosting rights for multi-nation events. Though India technically holds the hosting rights for this year’s Asia Cup, the tournament has been shifted to the UAE after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council, stressed that any future negotiations with the BCCI must be 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, just days before the Asia Cup.
The Indian government, too, has made its stance clear—there will be no bilateral cricket with Pakistan in the near future, though both sides will continue to meet in multi-nation events.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to face off on September 14 in the group stage of the Asia Cup, with the possibility of meeting again later in the tournament.