The Pakistani foreign ministry is currently examining all aspects of the national cricket team’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India later this year. This step is being taken to address long-standing issues from Pakistan’s perspective, and it has caused a delay in the announcement of the tournament schedule.
According to the outgoing chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi, the team’s participation is contingent upon approval from the Pakistani government.
After the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the draft schedule last week, which required the final approval of all participating teams before being made public, the PCB expressed its dissatisfaction with the venues assigned for a couple of matches. As per the draft, Pakistan is set to play against Australia in Bengaluru on October 20 and against Afghanistan in Chennai on October 23. However, the PCB has requested a swap of venues for these two games. The ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have both denied this request.
Meanwhile, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the separation of politics and sports. She expressed disappointment with the BCCI’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, resulting in a modification of the tournament’s schedule. The foreign office is currently assessing the security situation for Pakistani cricketers and will provide its viewpoint in due course.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated, “Regarding cricket, Pakistan is of the view that politics should not be mixed with sports. India’s policy of not playing cricket in Pakistan is disappointing. We are observing and evaluating all aspects relating to our participation in the World Cup, including the security situation for Pakistani cricketers, and we will offer our views to the PCB in due course.”
As for the Asia Cup 2023, the hosting rights were granted to Pakistan. However, due to ongoing political tensions between the two countries, the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for the tournament. Sri Lanka has now been included as a co-host, and the tournament will take place from August 31 to September 17. Pakistan will host four matches, while Sri Lanka will host the remaining nine, including all of India’s matches.
Upset with the last-minute change in hosting rights, the PCB has threatened to boycott the upcoming World Cup in India.
The schedule for the Men’s ODI World Cup is expected to be announced next week.
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