Pakistan’s Participation In ICC World Cup 2023 Still In Doubt Amidst Neutral Venue Dispute
The upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 will commence in India from October 5 to November 19. Ten teams are participating in the tournament, which will be played in 10 stadiums across 10 different cities, with the Indo-Pak clash set to occur in Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, on October 15.
The participation of Pakistan’s men’s team in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 still needs to be confirmed as Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan Mazari raised concerns about sending Pakistan’s team across the border while India refused to travel to Pakistan. The Indian team will play their Asia Cup 2023 matches at a neutral venue, although the hosting rights were being given to Pakistan. Now Pakistan and Sri Lanka will co-host the tournament.
Mazari strongly condemned the concept of a neutral venue and demanded a similar arrangement for Pakistan. He further said,
“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. Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model.”
On June 27, PCB wrote a letter to Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s Prime Minister also the patron-in-chief of Pakistan’s Cricket Board, to seek his advice on sending Babar Azam’s led side to India for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, which is taking place later this year.
In response, PM Shehbaz Sharif has set up a 14-member committee led by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to determine whether the country’s cricket team should travel to India in October. The committee includes several ministers and security and intelligence agency heads.
According to the current situation between the two neighbors, the participation of green shirts in the tournament depends on clearance from the government. Shehbaz Sharif will take the final decision based on the committee’s recommendations.
In addition, PCB’s letter to PM Shehbaz Sharif requested guidance on venues for the national team matches in India. Pakistan’s Cricket Board chief operating officer Salman Naseer has asked the government to review the security arrangements at the five venues where green shirts have set to play their matches.
Pakistan Schedule For ICC World Cup 2023:
| Date | Time | Matches | Stadium | Venue | Capacity |
| 06/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Netherlands VS Pakistan | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | Hyderabad | 55,000 |
| 12/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS Sri Lanka V | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | Hyderabad | 55,000 |
| 15/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | India VS Pakistan | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | 132,000 |
| 20/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS Australia | M.Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | 40,000 |
| 23/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS Afghanistan | MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | 50,000 |
| 27/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS South Africa | MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | 50,000 |
| 31/10/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS Bangladesh | Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 68,000 |
| 04/11/2023 | 10:00(Local) | New Zealand VS Pakistan | M.Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | 40,000 |
| 12/11/2023 | 13:30(Local) | Pakistan VS England | Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 68,000 |
