ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will not come to India for World Cup and they want their matches to be hosted by Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, as per a report in news agency ANI. Pakistan threatened to not take part in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 scheduled to be held in India later this year if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would not allow Men in Blue to participate in Asia Cup 2023, as per a source. The Men in Green wants to play their WC matches in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, according to a source. The World Cup 2023 is slated to take place in October-November this year. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to announce the detailed schedule.

A PCB source told I, "Yes we are thinking that we will not travel to India for World Cup matches if BCCI didn't send their team to Pakistan for Asia Cup. We want Sri Lanka or Bangladesh to host our matches, we want to play there not in India." According to a source, Pakistan will not come to India for World Cup and they want their matches to be hosted by Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. A few days back news came through a source that India will play their Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue and will not go to Pakistan. If India reached the final with Pakistan then it will also take part at a neutral venue.

It was also reported earlier that the Pakistan team could play its ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 matches in Bangladesh instead of India, which is the original host of the tournament, Discussions have taken place that could see Pakistan shifting their games to a neutral venue and Bangladesh has been proposed as the venue due to its close proximity to India.

A hybrid model for this year's Asia Cup is being looked at as a solution. Pakistan is the original host of the Asia Cup this year, but India is likely to play their matches at a neutral venue. The idea came on the sidelines of board meetings in Dubai. India's presence in Asia Cup and Pakistan's participation in the 50-over World Cup coming later was on the agenda of members from the two Boards. Though it has only been mentioned as an option and no formal discussions have taken place on the subject, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has pointed out that India not participating in Asia Cup has a potential impact on ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will also be held in Pakistan. The six-nation Asia Cup, which will be played in a 50-over format in the first part of September this year, has grouped India and Pakistan together with a qualifier. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are part of the other group.

Last October, the PCB was caught off guard by Jay Shah, who stated that the 2023 Asia Cup would be held in a "neutral" venue. The PCB, under the then chairman Ramiz Raja, promptly responded that Pakistan will withdraw from the competition if it was taken outside of the nation.

Last year, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairperson Jay Shah had stated that India will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup due to security reasons and the tournament will be played at some neutral venue, which is to be decided in the second round of the Executive Board meeting of ACC members.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 31 2023

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