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Saqlain Mushtaq has urged Pakistan to teach BCCI a ‘lesson’ for their behavior over the 2025 Champions Trophy hosting.
Saqlain Mushtaq (AFP Photo)
Pakistan legend and former coach Saqlain Mushtaq wants his country’s team to teach the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) ‘a lesson’ for showing ‘tantrums’ and not behaving in a ‘civilized’ manner over the hosting drama for the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy.
Pakistan is the official host for the Champions Trophy, the first ICC tournament in the country since 1996. The BCCI had refused to travel there due to security reasons, which led to weeks of deliberation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to zero in on a hybrid model. Under this, all of India’s matches will be played in Dubai, including the final if they reach that far.
“Their tantrums just don’t end,” Mushtaq said on Pakistan’s 24 Digital on Tuesday (February 18). “We are singing their praises. Children here want to see Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Every child here wants to see them in action, but their tantrums just don’t end. I don’t know in which world they are living in and what they want to achieve. When are they going to be intelligent and wise? When will they open their hearts? By wearing a tie and talking in English, you think you have become civilized? Pakistan should take a stand and teach them a lesson.”
As part of the hybrid model deal, all India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments till 2027 will be played in neutral venues. Pakistan’s men’s and women’s teams, thus, won’t travel to India for the foreseeable future.
As for teaching India a ‘lesson’, Pakistan will get a chance to make its case on Sunday, February 23 when they play each other in the Group A clash in the tournament in Dubai.
Mushtaq recalls Visa troubles
Further in the interview, Mushtaq said he faced ’embarrassment’ and ‘disappointment’ when trying to get his visa for India to travel as New Zealand’s spin consultant in last year’s Test tour.
“I booked online (visa appointment) from Leicester where I live and got an appointment two weeks later. They made me sit in a queue for four hours. I felt a bit embarrassed and I was disappointed as well for the treatment being meted out to me. You won’t believe how many people I approached (to get my visa processed). They kept telling me it was in the queue to get processed.
“The status remained the same for three months. In the meantime, I got this offer from PCB. So I refused the visa. They (Indian authorities) took the fee as well and did not even acknowledge it,” Mushtaq added.
Pakistan lost to New Zealand in the opening clash of the Champions Trophy and now need to beat India and Bangladesh to have a shot at qualifying for the semi-finals.
