The Pakistan Cricket Team will travel to India for the World Cup 2023 after the government approved their participation in the tournament. Pakistan’s PM had appointed a 14-member committee to discuss Babar Azam and Co’s participation earlier this week. Now they have been given the green light, even as the World Cup 2023 Schedule remains undecided. The IND vs PAK clash is set for October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“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 said in a statement on Sunday.
Also Read: World Cup 2023 schedule delayed further, Kolkata police denies security for PAK vs ENG
The Pakistan Cricket Team’s participation was in doubt after the PCB vs BCCI conflict on the sidelines of the Asia Cup 2023. The BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. As a result, the tournament had to be moved to Sri Lanka, with only four games in Pakistan. PCB was earlier insistent on not travelling to India in retaliation but has since softened its stance.
As per Goe News, many of the 14 committee members were in favour of travelling to India for the tournament. There were some who called for a boycott of the tournament due to the BCCI’s reluctance to do the same. While the committee has given the green light, there are still security concerns.
PCB had sought a written security guarantee from both the BCCI and ICC for their Pakistan Cricket Team’s safety during the World Cup 2023. There will also be a delegation visiting India later this month to review the arrangements.
“We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Indian authorities. We expect that full safety and security of the Pakistan Cricket Team will be ensured during its visit to India,” the Foreign Office added.
In the 11th hour, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) asked for the PAK vs ENG game to be rescheduled. The PAK vs ENG game will be the third game for Pakistan Cricket Team that would be changed from their original schedule. Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad has been moved from October 12 to October 10.
Follow InsideSport on GOOGLE NEWS / Follow World Cup 2023 Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Editors pick
