ICC refuses to entertain Pakistan's request to relocate 2 World Cup 2023 matches in India

After the ICC announced the schedule of the World Cup 2023, it was known that the world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad will play host to the big-ticket ODI World Cup group match between India and Pakistan on October 15, besides staging the grand finale on November 19.

 

 

The tournament will begin on October 5 with a clash between defending champions England and runners-up New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 1,32,000 spectators.

 

 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is apprehensive about sending its team to India for the ODI World Cup, with an official telling PTI, "Our participation in the World Cup and us playing in Ahmedabad on October 15 or in Mumbai if we qualify for semifinals will all be dependent on government clearance."

 

Pakistan also didn't want to play Afghanistan on spin-friendly Chennai pitch and Australia in Bengaluru. The ICC rejected the demand.

 

 

The ICC is, however, "confident" that the Babar Azam-led team will compete in the 50-over showpiece.

 

Pakistan have a signed participation agreement to compete and the world governing body "100% expects them to be there and has had no indications to the contrary".

 

"All members have to abide by the rules and the laws of their country and we respect that. But we're confident Pakistan will be in India for the men's cricket World Cup," an ICC spokesperson told PTI.

 

So, the ICC not entertaining Pakistan's request to relocate two matches was on expected lines as it usually addresses concerns over venues on potential security threat and not on cricketing grounds.

 

 

India and Pakistan stopped touring one another's country in the aftermath of the 2008 terror attacks, when 10 Pakistani gunmen killed over 165 people in Mumbai. Pakistan last played in India in 2016 in the T20 World Cup. The two teams play each other only in the ICC events and Asia Cup.