Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistan cricketer, has criticised the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for allegedly fabricating excuses for their participation in Asia Cup matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to media reports, Bangladeshi players are refusing to compete in the tournament in the UAE due to concerns about the hot September weather.
Afridi made his remarks after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send a team to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup. To break the impasse, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed a hybrid plan for the event, which would divide it into two phases. The first phase would take place in Pakistan, excluding India, and the second phase would take place in the UAE.
Concerned about the weather, Afridi stated that professional cricketers should not rely on their decision to play solely on weather conditions.
“You don’t play depending on the weather when you are professional cricketers. We played matches in Sharjah at 10 am in the morning. We used to feel dizzy when going towards the boundary line. It used to be so hot. These things happen but it also tests your fitness level,” Afridi said on a local TV channel.
“If you want to make an excuse then you can come with anything like it is too hot in UAE. I think these are excuses,” he added.
Meanwhile, according to an Indian media report, Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, and ACC chairman has made it clear to other countries that he will not accept the PCB’s proposed “hybrid model.” Shah recently met with the chiefs of member nations and proposed that the tournament be held in a single location, preferably Sri Lanka.
