IND vs PAK ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s Minister of Sports, Ehsaan Mazari, has sent a stern warning to its Indian counterparts and reiterated that no IND vs PAK game will take place in India during the upcoming Men’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 if BCCI doesn’t send its team across the border for Asia Cup 2023.
The development has come following the formation of a high-profile 11-member committee by Pakistan’s PM Shabaz Shareef to dwell on Pakistan’s participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in India later this year. The committee is being headed by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“The committee will be headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB. The PM will take the final decision,” said Ehsaan Mazari, Pakistan’s Minister in charge of Sports.
It is worth noting that the BCCI has outright refused Pakistan’s request to travel to their country for the Asia Cup 2023. The BCCI and PCB held multiple meetings and reached the conclusion that the continental tournament will be held in a hybrid model, with India playing its matches outside Pakistan. The Asia Cup 2023 will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model,” the Sports Minister said.
Interestingly, Pakistan had also demanded a hybrid model for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 following India’s Asia Cup demands, however, the BCCI and ICC are far from entertaining the demands of PCB.
No IND vs PAK game in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
Ehsaan Mazari further said that if India doesn’t come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023, the same would be done to them as they host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
“My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India,” said Ehsaan Mazari.
Although the ICC has released the complete schedule for the World Cup 2023, Pakistan is yet to confirm whether it will participate or not. The PCB has now left the decision to travel to India in the hands of the 11-member committee formed recently.
The new PCB chief Zaka Ashraf will be in South Africa in the coming days to attend an important ICC meeting. BCCI secretary Jay Shah will also be present there and discussions on Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC World Cup 2023 are likely to be held.
As per the schedule of World Cup 2023, the most anticipated IND vs PAK game is set to be held on 15th October at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The two sides last met during the ICC T20 World Cup 2023 in Australia, where India emerged triumphant.
For more details head to BCCI’s official website.