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File photograph of Virat Kohli and Shadab Khan© AFP
For months, the controversy over the venues Asia Cup and ODI World Cup has had the whole cricketing fraternity engulfed. After the hybrid format was agreed upon between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council, a brand new twist has been delivered to the saga with the Sports Minister of Pakistan suggesting that Babar Azam-led aspect wouldn’t journey to India for the World Cup if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) insists on taking part in Asia Cup at a impartial venue.
“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,” the Sports Minister Ehsaan Mazari advised Indian Express. The Sports Minister’s assertion confirmed that Pakistan would not journey to India if the BCCI plans to play Asia Cup at a impartial venue.
The assertion from Mazari got here only a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif fashioned a committee over the nation’s participation within the World Cup, to be held in India this 12 months.
“The committee will be headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB. The PM will take the final decision,” Mazari mentioned on the committee.
The minister additionally focused the BCCI saying India’s reluctance to play cricket in Pakistan baffles him.
“India brings sports into politics. I don’t understand why the Indian government doesn’t want to send their cricket team here. Some time back a huge baseball contingent from India was in Islamabad to play. There was also the bridge team that had travelled to Pakistan. There were around 60-plus people, I was the chief guest of the event. They won here and left. Pakistan’s football, hockey and chess teams also travel to India,” he mentioned.
Speaking of the BCCI’s “security concern” with reference to the Indian group’s potential journey to Pakistan, Mazari cited the examples of different groups who’ve toured the nation.
“The New Zealand team was here, before that the England cricket team was in Pakistan. They got presidential security. Earlier, the Indian team was given a hearty welcome by the fans here. Security is an excuse. We also held the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that had so many foreign players,” he mentioned.
The International Cricket Council had lately despatched a ‘reminder’ to Pakistan in regards to the settlement the PCB had signed over its participation within the ODI World Cup in India.
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