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BCCI hasn't approached Centre over Pakistan travel: Roger Binny

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 20 Oct 2022, 11:40 pm

Bengaluru/IBNS: New Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny Thursday said the premier cricket body has not approached the central government to get a clearance from the Union Home Ministry to travel to Pakistan to participate in the 2023 Asia Cup.

However, it is for the central government, not the BCCI to take a call on the matter, he said.

"That (travelling to Pakistan to play in Asia cup) is not the BCCI's call. We need the government's clearance to leave the country. Whether we leave the country or teams coming into the country, we need clearance," he said.

"Once we get clearance from the government then we go with it. We can't make decisions on our own. We have to rely on the government. We have not approached them yet," Binny told reporters, replying to a supplementary query by UNI at an event organised by Karnataka State Cricket Association here.

Since the 2008 Asia Cup, Team India haven't travelled to Pakistan following the Mumbai terror attack on November 26, and the scheduled bilateral series in early 2009 was withdrawn.

Earlier BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan next year for the Asia Cup and will instead like to play the tournament at a neutral venue.

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also said the Indian team will need clearance from the Home Ministry to travel to Pakistan.

Following BCCI's decision not to travel to Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board expressed its disappointment on Wednesday and prayed to the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting.

The PCB also raised fears of a split between Asian and international cricket communities and an impact on Pakistan's visit to India for the 2023 World Cup.