Either Anurag Thakur speak as a BJP leader or BCCI head: Mohammad Yousuf

Former Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf has criticised BCCI president Anurag Thakur over his comments related cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. Yousuf states that India avoided playing Pakistan in a bilateral series despite normalcy in the ties between both the countries.

“I just don’t understand what he wants to say. For the last eight years India has avoided playing us in a proper bilateral series even when relations were better,” former captain, Mohammad Yousuf said on Saturday.

Yousuf also pointed out that the ICC had said that it will not tolerate politics in member boards. “The ICC keeps on saying it will not tolerate politics or government interference in member boards and the BCCI President is making political statements. Either he speaks as a BJP leader or BCCI head,” Yousuf said.

An official said that it is a political statement from the Indian BCCI president and PCB is disappointed as they have been trying for a long time to normalise cricket ties with India.

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“It is an out and out political statement from the President of the BCCI. We are disappointed as we have been trying hard for a long time now to normalise cricket ties with India and we have always believed in keeping sports and politics apart,” the official said.

Other former Pakistani cricketers also expressed their unhappiness.

Former captain, Rashid Latif said “The last time we went to India in 2012 as a goodwill gesture for a short series of one-day and T20 matches but since 2007 the Indian board has avoided playing us at a bilateral level in a full series,” he noted.

Abdul Qadir, former Pakistan leg-spinner said that Pakistan always try to keep politics out of cricket and it is time up for Pakistan to stopped running after India.

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“They have not played us for so many years so what value is this statement off. I believe that the PCB should seriously think about playing India in the group matches of any ICC event,” he said. “It is the time we stopped running after India and said thank you to them.”

“I just feel that Anurag Thakur should not give political statements in his capacity as BCCI President,” he concluded.