LAHORE: Pakistan international and advisor to the Government of Punjab on sports Wahab Riaz has called for an amicable agreement between the country’s cricket board and its Indian counterpart over the teams’ participation in the Asia Cup and the World Cup later this year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are involved in an ongoing cold war with the latter stubborn over not wanting to send its team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in September.

The PCB, in turn, has hinted at the possibility of the Babar Azam-led unit boycotting the World Cup a month later. But the Najam Sethi-led board has also proposed a “hybrid model” that — if accepted — would see both teams playing their respective matches at neutral venues in the tournaments in question.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Wahab was of the view that the model was a good option and he felt that it was one of the ways cricket would go on, which, for the left-armer was the most important thing.

Wahab believed that politics should not be coming in the way of the sport and that both teams should visit each other’s countries.

Meanwhile, the 37-year-old announced that the Punjab government will be awarding a monthly honourarium of Rs. 20,000 each to support the province’s international hockey players.

Wahab said a list of 300 players was being finalised and that it will include both active and retired athletes.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2023