Pakistan Sports Minister Ehsaan Mazari issued a threat saying that the Men in Green will withdraw from the upcoming World Cup 2023 if India doesn’t travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 and wants to play its games at a neutral venue.
To be noted, the dates of the Asia Cup 2023 were announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) last month after all parties come to the agreement that Pakistan, the original hosts of the tournament will have four matches of the tournament played in their country.
And then the tournament will move to Sri Lanka, where the next phase of the tournament will be played involving India, including the final as well.
This was because BCCI secretary Jay Shah had announced in October 2022 that India will not travel to Pakistan for any cricket, including the Asia Cup 2022. This started a huge drama and a long list of statements from PCB chiefs Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi, who threatened to boycott the World Cup 2023 to be played in India and even threatened to withdraw from ACC.
Somehow, negotiations were made where Pakistan offered a hybrid model in which a few matches should be hosted in Pakistan, which do not involve India and the rest of the matches in UAE. While the model was accepted, UAE as the venue was rejected and instead, Sri Lanka offered to host the remainder of the matches.
If India Plays Asia Cup Matches At Neutral Venues; Pakistan Should Play Its World Cup Matches On Neutral Venue As Well: Pakistan Sports Minister
If the Indian squad does not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which will begin on August 31, Pakistan’s sports minister Ehsaan Mazari has threatened to exclude his country from the ICC ODI World Cup in 2023.
After the BCCI indicated its inability to deploy its squad across the border due to the Indian government’s lack of permission, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) declared that Pakistan and Sri Lanka will jointly co-host the continental event.
“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,” Mazari told The Indian Express.
As per the schedule, four matches will be held in Pakistan during Asia Cup while nine in Sri Lanka. India, Pakistan, and Nepal have been grouped together while Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh are in the second group.
Mazari is against the hybrid model which will see India playing all their games in 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,’ he said.
Mazari though has dismissed the reservations expressed by former PCB chairman Najam Sethi on India playing Pakistan in Ahmedabad during the ODI World Cup.
“I don’t think Ahmedabad will be an issue. Pakistan has played there earlier. But before that there should be a positive response from India. India should play in Pakistan. Zaka Ashraf has gone to South Africa and so let’s see what is decided and what happens,” he said.