On Tuesday, renowned Pakistani spin bowler Saqlain Mushtaq expressed his strong discontent during a live television broadcast regarding the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He urged Pakistan to deliver a decisive lesson to India in their upcoming Champions Trophy match scheduled for Sunday in Dubai. Mushtaq criticized the BCCI for their "tantrums" leading up to the ICC tournament, sharing a personal experience of difficulties he encountered while attempting to obtain an Indian visa last year.

In the months preceding the Champions Trophy, tensions escalated between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the BCCI. The Indian board informed the ICC that the team, led by Rohit Sharma, would be unable to travel to Pakistan due to a lack of governmental clearance, subsequently requesting a neutral venue for their matches. The PCB opposed the hybrid model and even threatened to withdraw from the tournament. However, the ICC supported the BCCI's request, citing unrest in Islamabad last December and reportedly warning Pakistan of losing hosting rights. Consequently, Dubai was designated as the neutral venue for all matches involving India in the Champions Trophy.

During an appearance on Pakistan’s 24 Digital, just before the Champions Trophy commenced, Mushtaq criticized the BCCI, noting that while Pakistani fans consistently admire Indian cricketers, the sentiment is not reciprocated. 

“Their tantrums seem never-ending. We are always praising them. Children here aspire to see Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah in action. Yet, their tantrums persist. I am perplexed by their perspective and what they aim to achieve. When will they demonstrate intelligence and wisdom? When will they embrace openness? Just because you wear a tie and converse in English does not equate to being civilized. Pakistan must take a firm stance and impart a lesson to them,” the 48-year-old stated.

Mushtaq alleges visa harassment

The former Pakistan cricketer further opened up about a recent incident in which he alleged being harassed when trying to get an Indian visa. Mushtaq was notably picked as a spin consultant for the touring New Zealand side ahead of their Test series against India in late October last year and, hence, was supposed to travel to India. However, he failed to get a visa and hence could not join the Tom Latham-led side, who later secured a historic 3-0 whitewash against India.

“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.

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