The General Manager of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Wasim Khan, said that Pakistan is likely to play their World Cup 2023 matches at a neutral venue, not India.
As per details, the upcoming Asia Cup that is scheduled to be played in Pakistan has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan.
The BCCI maintained its stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup and stressed arranging their matches at neutral venues, Meanwhile, the PCB said that if India came to Pakistan for the Asia cup then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.
However, an agreement has been reached between the BCCI and PCB that both teams are playing their games outside of Pakistan. If both teams made it to the final then the final will also be played at a neutral venue.
Former PCB CEO and General Manager ICC Wasim Khan predicted that Pakistan could ask the ICC to organize their 2023 ODI World Cup contests outside India.
“The World Cup would remain with India, but Pakistan will compete outside the country. They will not travel to India after what happened with the upcoming Asia Cup,” he said.
“I don’t know if it would take place here on in a different country but a neutral venue is highly likely,” responded Wasim in a question regarding the likely neutral venue for India’s Asia Cup fixtures.
“I don’t think that Pakistan will play their matches in India. I think their matches will also be held at a neutral venue just like India’s Asia Cup matches,” Wasim concluded.
Remember that conflict on the 2023 Asia Cup began in October last year when the ACC president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and has since been trying to shift the tournament to a neutral venue.
An emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council was held in this regard in Bahrain last month but failed to reach a breakthrough.
Earlier some sources said that the federal government refused to issue the NOC to the Pakistan cricket team to travel to India in order to participate in the ODI World Cup scheduled in October this year.
According to credible sources that the federal government has refused permission for the team to travel or to finalize any plans to participate in the World Cup. The government has communicated to the PCB that in wake of rising activities against Indian Muslims and the hatred shown by the Hindu extremists against Muslim citizens.
Pakistan cricketers’ visits and cricketing activities in India would be nothing less than taking a big risk. “We cannot allow cricketers to travel to India under the prevailing situation where Muslims are falling victim to atrocities at the hands of extremists in India. These extremists leave no stone unturned to preach hatred against Muslims. We have some serious security concerns and hence cannot allow our cricketers to travel to India,” a government official when contacted said.
On India’s response, Pakistan show serious concern and also decided that if India not going to travel to Pakistan for the Asia cup then Pakistan will not going to travel India for the world cup.
