Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi’s comments on Friday cast fresh doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming ICC World Cup that will be hosted by India.
The arch-rivals are reportedly set for a showdown at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium 10 days after the opening clash on 5 October, with over a lakh spectators expected to attend the blockbuster clash. However, PCB chief Sethi cautioned that for the dream fixture to go ahead, the board must first receive permission from the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government.
“As far as India and Pakistan go, neither the PCB or the BCCI can take decisions. The respective governments only can take decisions,” Sethi said during a press conference.
“It’s our government who has to decide, just like when it comes to India, it’s their government that decides when they go to play. There is no point asking us if we will play in Ahmedabad.
“When the time comes, first it will be decided whether we are going or not, then the government decides where we will go. Our decision will rest on these two important conditions,” he added.
Tensions have resurfaced between PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in recent months following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup due to security concerns and political tensions. Pakistan retaliated by threatening to boycott the ODI World Cup.
The Asia Cup has since been tweaked to a “Hybrid Model” — a solution offered by the Sethi-led PCB — with an initial round of matches taking place in Pakistan and the rest, including those involving India, in Sri Lanka. The hybrid solution had been formally accepted on Thursday by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the body that organises the continental tournament and is led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah.
It is understood that once ICC CEO Geoff Allardice and chairman Greg Barclay visited Karachi to meet Sethi last month, it was decided that Pakistan won’t set any conditions for competing in the World Cup, provided four Asia Cup games are held in the country as they have the hosting rights.
Sethi further said, “We have told the ICC also that if our government looks into the security considerations and gives us permission, we will come to play in India. If they don’t give, how can we come and play in India?
“Even if the government gives us permission, we have to look at the venues and decide where to play. That comes later. Firstly, the government has to give us the nod. It has to tell us whether we can go or not.”
With inputs from PTI
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