Should India travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023? Here's what ex-cricketer Harbhajan Singh says

There is lot of controversy going around on whether India should travel to Pakistan or not. Stepping into the controversy, former Indian veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh has a say on it.

 

According to Harbhajan Singh, India should not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 as there are a lot of risks involved which have to be considered before making any decision. He said, "India shouldn't travel to Pakistan as it isn't safe there and why are we taking risk of travelling when their own people do not feel secure in their country?"

  

India is firm to not send its men’s cricket team for the Asia Cup 2023. Speaking on the same, earlier, Pakistan has stated that if India does not reconsider its stance, Pakistan will also boycott the 2023 World Cup to be held in India.

 

Notably, on February 4 this year, India categorically told Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Najam Sethi that Indian Cricket Team cannot travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 which is scheduled to take place in Pakistan.

 

"I have kept my options open because when all teams are coming to Pakistan and have no issues with security. Then why is India worried about security? In the same way, we can also have security concerns over sending our team to India for the World Cup and I will be bringing this to the table at the coming meetings," he said.

 

"We have complex issues on hand but for me when I go to the ACC and ICC meetings I have kept all options open for us and we have to take a clear position now," Sethi said at a press conference, adding that he will raise these issues in the next Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and ICC meetings.

 

Najam Sethi added that the Pakstan government will be taking the final call on whether his team will travel to India for this year’s World Cup or not.

 

The Asia Cup 2023 is slated to be held in Pakistan, and there were uncertainties over whether the Indian cricket team would travel there to participate. Asian Cricket Council President and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, in October last year, clarified that India will not be visiting its neighboring country for the Asia Cup. Instead, Jay Shah indicated that the Asia Cup 2023 will most likely take place at a neutral location.

 

Notably, India’s cricket team has not played any match in Pakistan since 2008. Pakistani team visited India for the last time for T20 World Cup 2016 that was held in India.