"Wait For Right Time...": Anurag Thakur On Ramiz Raja's 2023 World Cup Warning

Ramiz Raja recently insisted that if the Indian cricket team doesn't take part in the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan next year, their team will also not play in the ICC ODI World Cup in India.

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has said India is a major power in the world of sports and no country can overlook the country. He was responding to a query about the remarks of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja that if India does not come for Asia Cup, Pakistan won't go for 2023 World Cup to be hosted by India. "Wait for the right time. India is a major power in the world of sports and no country can overlook India," Thakur said.

Raja recently insisted that if the Indian cricket team doesn't take part in the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan next year, their team will also not play in the ICC ODI World Cup in India.

"Our position is blunt that if they (Indian team) come then we will go to the World Cup, if they don't come then let them do it. Let them play without Pakistan. If Pakistan does not participate in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will see it? We will adopt an aggressive approach, our team is showing performance, we have defeated the biggest business-making cricket team in the world, we have played the final of the T20 World Cup. I have always said that we have to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket and that will only happen when our team performs well, we have done it in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Beat India, we beat India in the Asia Cup, Pakistan cricket team has beaten the board of billion dollar economy twice in one year," Ramiz Raja was quoted as saying by Urdu News.

Earlier in October, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had indicated that the 2023 Asia Cup, schduled to be held in Pakistan, could be held at a neutral venue. After Shah's remarks about holding Asia Cup at a neutral venue, the PCB issued a statement that it can impact Pakistan's visit to India for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

"The overall impact of such statements has 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," PCB had said then.