World Cup 2023: Pakistan Cricket Board is playing mind games with the BCCI. It has refuted claims that Pakistan has already proposed to ICC that it will be playing World Cup matches in a neutral venue. However, it has threatened that PCB could urge the ICC on moving Pakistan matches to neutral venues. But the move will be made at the “right time”. PCB’s statement comes after PCB officials met Asian Cricket Council and BCCI officials in Dubai last week. However, the impasse over Asia Cup 2023 remains. BCCI is adamant on not playing in Pakistan. Follow ICC Cricket World Cup LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“This proposal – to play India’s matches at a neutral venue and the rest in Pakistan – is under discussions within the ACC. At no stage during Thursday’s media interaction, did I give any reference to the ICC or made any remarks on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled in October. This matter has not been mooted or discussed at any ICC forum so far,” PCB said in a statement on Friday.
Pakistan had proposed a hybrid model to save Asia Cup 2023. With India refusing to visit Pakistan, PCB chief Najam Sethi proposed a neutral venue for India to play their games. In that case, Pakistan would have hosted other nations as per scheduled. However, no final decision has been taken yet.
“In this background, the PCB is disappointed that a leading English language newspaper has misquoted, misinterpreted and misrepresented Mr Sethi’s comments and gave the impression that PCB’s hybrid model was presented and discussed at the ICC, which is factually incorrect. At this stage, the PCB is only in discussions with the ACC over the hosting of the ACC Asia Cup and no discussions regarding the World Cup have taken place with the ICC,” PCB added.
However, PCB has threatened BCCI again saying that it could move ICC on not playing on Indian soil at the right time. To put it bluntly, PCB is waiting for ACC’s final verdict on Asia Cup. If Asia Cup is moved out of Pakistan completely, they may force ICC to schedule Pakistan’s matches in a neutral venue.
“This is not to say that the hybrid model will not be advocated at the proper ICC forum at the right time,” PCB added.
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