ISLAMABAD – The evaluation of Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming 50-overs World Cup in India is currently underway, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.
The strained political relations between Pakistan and India have led to limited bilateral cricket matches in the past decade, with only multi-team events taking place at neutral venues. As a result, doubts loom over Pakistan’s involvement in the World Cup scheduled for October-November in India.
Recently, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made a significant visit to India for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting held in Goa. This visit marked the first time in nine years that a senior Pakistani leader had travelled to India.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry, expressed Pakistan’s perspective that sports should be kept separate from politics and voiced disappointment over India’s refusal to play cricket in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government is closely monitoring and assessing various factors related to their participation in the World Cup, particularly the security situation for Pakistani cricketers. The views and analysis collected will be shared with the Pakistan Cricket Board in due course. Due to the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s involvement, the official dates and venues for the World Cup are yet to be confirmed, despite the tournament being just over three months away.
In addition, India has declined to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to commence on August 31. In response, Pakistan has threatened to boycott the World Cup if they are not granted the hosting rights for the Asia Cup.
Seeking a compromise, the Asian Cricket Council has proposed a “hybrid model” for the regional tournament. Under this arrangement, four matches will be held in Pakistan, while the remaining nine will take place in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s hybrid model accepted as Asia Cup 2023 schedule announced
