The Asia Cup controversy is showing no signs of an end. Despite an Asian Cricket Council meeting, the fate of the continent tournament is still hanging in balance. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) isn't willing to allow its players to travel to Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hell-bent on hosting the tournament in their own country. As the controversy spirals on, Pakistan great Javed Miandad has made a few scathing remarks on India, asking the International Cricket Council (ICC) to 'remove' the team.
"Main to pehle bhi kehta tha, nahi aate to bhaad mein jaayein, hamein koi fark nahi padta, hamein hamari cricket mil rahi hai. Ye ICC ka kaam hai, ye cheez agar ICC control nahi kar skti, to fir governing body ka koi kaam nahi hai(I have always been saying, if India don't to come, we don't care. We are getting our cricket. It's ICC's job to control such things, else there's no point of having a governing body)," he said in a video on YouTube.
"ICC should have one rule for every country. If such teams don't come, no matter how strong they are, you should remove them," Miandad added.
Further in his assessment, Miandad even believes that India aren't willing to come as they are afraid of the public's extreme behaviour, in a case where they go on to lose in Pakistan.
"Aa ke khelo, khelte kyun nahi hai. Bhagte hain, unki museebat ho jaati hai bhagte hai (They should play, why aren't they playing? They are afraid of consequences)," he asserted.
When asked by a reporter if India is refusing to play in Pakistan as they are afraid to go back, if they lose, Miandad's agreed.
"Hamare time pe bhi, wo isliye nahi khelte they kyunki harte hain to musibat ho jati hai. Wahan ka crowd 'nasty hai'. Jab bhi India haarti hai, chaahe kisi se haare, wahan ke jo log hain, wo gharon ko aag laga dete hain. Hamein yaad hai, jab ham khelte they to unke sath museebatein hui hain(Even in our times, they would not play because they were afraid of consequences. India's crowd is 'nasty'. Whenever India woudl lose, no matter against whom, they would burn houses. That's what they are afraid of)," the former Pakistani batter opined.
In the end, Miandad feels ICC should take strict actions against teams like India for refusing to play in events. "Main ICC ko kehta hun ki wo strict action lein. Ek rule and regulation ICC ke paas hona chahiye. Agar koi bhi country is tarah behave karti hai, uske upar action lena chahiye. Aisi teamon ko bahar karo, khud ba khud line pe aa jayenge (I want to ask ICC to take action. There should be a rule. If any country behaves like this, there should be consequences. Such teams should be removed), he concluded.
