The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to seek a guarantee for Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi not to continue the hybrid model going into the ODI World Cup later in India amid the growing hybrid model talks. Pakistan wants to play the World Cup in the hybrid model if India doesn’t come to play in Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023.
According to the reports PTI, ICC chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice have come to Lahore to get some assurances for the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, as the Pakistan management is looking to raise their concern regarding the hybrid model going into the ICC event hosted by the neighbouring nations.
According to various sources, BCCI and ICC are worried about pushing the World Cup in a hybrid model, as the Asia Cup 2023 is likely to be played in the hybrid model, as the officials are concerned that PCB may want ICC to implement the same method for the World Cup in India.
“The ICC and World Cup hosts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are concerned with the hybrid model being pushed by Najam Sethi who heads the cricket management committee of the PCB.
“Although the hybrid model has been suggested by Sethi for the Asia Cup which precedes the ICC event, the concern remains that once accepted for the regional event the PCB might also then ask the ICC to implement it for the World Cup when it comes to Pakistan playing in India,” he explained.
In recent developments, Najam Sethi and PCB have taken a strong stance on playing the World Cup in the hybrid model as India will not make a visit to Pakistan for the continental event.
Pakistan is the host of the Asia Cup 2023 and the Pakistan Cricket Board has repeatedly insisted that they are not taking part in ODI World Cup 2023 if the continental event is moved out of India, as the ICC is trying to work on the difference between two neighbouring cricket boards.
“Naturally neither the ICC nor the BCCI want such a situation since Pakistan’s unequivocal participation in matches in India would guarantee the success of Indo-Pakistan matches and also the tournament itself.” Another source said
“The ICC officials are trying to work as a bridge between the PCB and BCCI and resolve the outstanding issues about the Asia Cup and World Cup.”
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi said that the Indian team’s refusal to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 would impact the forthcoming ICC tournaments hosted by the two neighbouring nations in the future, as Pakistan is also slated to host the comeback tournament Champions Trophy in 2025.
Najam Sethi said that if India wishes they can accept the hybrid model, where both teams can play their ICC games in different countries going forward, and said that Men in Green can play the 2023 ODI World Cup games in Bangladesh or other neutral venues and similarly India can play the 2025 Champions trophy in other neutral venues.