The Pakistan Cricket Board has threatened to pull out of the 2023 ODI World Cup being hosted by India after BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that the Asian Cup would be played at a ‘neutral’ venue, according to a PTI report. 

Pakistan was given the hosting rights for the Asian Cup by the Asian Cricket Council, the president of which, is Shah himself. The sudden announcement of the change of venue from Pakistan to a ‘neutral’ one comes shortly after the BCCI had its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday. In response to the announcement, Raja has not only threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup but has also said that the country is considering the termination of its ACC membership.

Who is Ramiz Raja?

Ramiz Hasan Raja is a former Pakistani cricketer who currently serves as the 36th Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Raja played for Pakistan through the 1980s and the 1990s before retiring. Since he quit playing cricket, he has worked as a commentator on international cricket matches. 

Born in August 14, 1962 in Faisalabad in the state of Punjab in Pakistan, Raja attended the Sadiq Public School in Bahawalpur before moving to Aitchison College in Lahore before finally graduating from the Government College University in Lahore.

He made his debut in first-class cricket in 1978. Over the course of his List A career, he scored 9,000 runs. In first class matches, he scored more than 10,000 runs. Raja is one of the few cricketers to make it over 10,000 runs in Pakistan. 

He eventually made his international debut with a test cricket match but was dismissed after a run. However, his experience in first class cricket and the retirement of several Pakistani players ensured space for him. In the 1992 World Cup, he made the winning catch of the tournament, beating England.