Pakistan’s government said on Sunday that the country’s cricket team will be permitted to participate in the World Cup in neighbouring India later this year, but voiced “deep concerns” about security.
The championship of One Day International cricket will be hosted in India from October 5 to November 19, with the much-anticipated match between India and Pakistan scheduled on October 14 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to confirm it.
Pakistan Expresses ‘Security Concerns’
According to a statement published by Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Sunday evening, “Pakistan has consistently maintained that sports should not be mixed with politics. It has, therefore, decided to send its Cricket Team to India to participate in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.”
The foreign office stated that Pakistan had “deep concerns” regarding the security of its cricket team, adding, “We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council and the Indian authorities. We expect that the full safety and security of the Pakistan Cricket Team will be ensured during its visit to India.”
Pakistan further claimed that the “state of bilateral relations with India should not stand in the way of fulfilling its international sports-related obligations.” It also compared Islamabad’s “constructive and responsible approach” to New Delhi’s “intransigent attitude” in refusing to send its Cricket Team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has previously expressed concerns about playing in the 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following India’s reluctance to send a cricket team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023, the PCB earlier said it would boycott the World Cup.
Government of #Pakistan has decided to send Pakistan Cricket Team to #India for the World Cup🏆🇵🇰 #WorldCup #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/lpjxaRKTRv
— Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) August 6, 2023
India’s Refusal to Participate in Asia Cup
According to the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) executive board, Pakistan will host the next Asia Cup in September. India had earlier refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in October 2022, with BCCI secretary and president of ACC, Jay Shah, stating that the tournament would be held in a hybrid model.
PTI indicated that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have agreed to the BCCI’s demand that the Asia Cup 2023 be held outside Pakistan.
Earlier, the Najam Sethi-led PCB also agreed that the Asia Cup would be hosted under a ‘hybrid model,’ which meant that the matches would be split between Pakistan and another neutral location.
This decision practically allows India to compete in the Asia Cup, despite the BCCI’s insistence that the Indian squad will not travel to Pakistan. With India’s participation in the Asia Cup confirmed, it was assumed that the PCB had granted its national cricket team permission to compete in the ICC World Cup as well.
According to sources, some of Pakistan’s concerns stem from the ongoing dilemma regarding the schedule of the World Cup. Despite announcing the schedule last month, the BCCI backtracked and declared that another itinerary is underway after three Full Members raised objections regarding the original plan.