Former Pakistan keeper-batter Rashid Latif has blasted the confusion erupted over BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's acceptance to visit Pakistan, having been invited by PCB head Zaka Ashraf. With the development turning out to be a falsified one, Latif slammed the high-powered people for giving news only to their favorite journalists.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal asserted that there was no discussion of the BCCI Secretary travelling to Pakistan, contrary to the reports. Dhumal revealed that they met the PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf to finalize the Asia Cup schedule. He told PTI:
"Our secretary met PCB head Zaka Ashraf and the Asia Cup schedule was finalized and it is on course as it was discussed earlier. There will be four games of league stage in Pakistan, followed by nine games in Sri Lanka, including both India versus Pakistan game and in case a third game if both teams play final. Neither India is travelling to Pakistan nor our secretary will be travelling contrary to reports that have surfaced. Only the schedule was finalised."
"News of mutual invite extended by Jay Shah & Zaka Ashraf struck the headlines yesterday" - Rashid Latif
Meanwhile, Latif took to his official Twitter handle and opined that selected journalists receiving the news is creating confusion, stating:
"News of mutual invite extended by Jay Shah & Zaka Ashraf struck the headlines yesterday. That Jay Shah had accepted coming to Pakistan during the Asia Cup matches & in turn invited, Zaka consenting to travel to India at the time of the ICC World Cup 2023. High powered people leaking news only to their favourite journalists is actually not serving their cause but creating confusion. "
Instead, the 54-year-old reckons that the development of Jay Shah accepting Pakistan's invite should've been a press release.
"Now there is a denial of no such acceptance of invitation by Shah. It’s all over the place. It is now being rubbished that Shah ever accepted the invitation. Such behaviour is hurting Pakistan cricket. Why an official press release could have sufficed if the BCCI Secretary had accepted the invite or otherwise."
India and Pakistan will face at least twice in the 2023 Asia Cup and lock horns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the 50-over World Cup.
