Pakistan demands neutral World Cup venues in row with India

12 May 2023 08:40 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 5 Bookmark

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The chairman of Pakistan's cricket board is demanding his side's World Cup games are moved out of host country India if their arch-rivals refuse to travel to Pakistan for September's Asia Cup, a report said Friday.

Arrangements for the one-day international World Cup, which is due to start in October, remain shrouded in mystery, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) so far failing to release a match schedule or list of venues.

It is an extraordinary situation less than six months before the start of a quadrennial global sporting tournament.

How to accommodate Pakistan appears to be at the heart of the delay, with the nuclear-armed neighbours - both of them cricket-obsessed, but who have fought multiple wars since independence from Britain in 1947 - mired in diplomatic disputes.

Pakistan is itself hosting the Asia Cup, another 50-over tournament, in September, in which India normally participates.

But the BCCI - the world's richest and most powerful cricket body - has refused to travel to Pakistan for several years citing both the diplomatic tensions and the country's challenging security situation.

It wants its Asia Cup games moved out of Pakistan - and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi demanded a reciprocal arrangement for the World Cup in an interview with The Indian Express newspaper on Friday.

“If India now wants to have a neutral venue and accepts the hybrid model, then we'll use the same hybrid model in the World Cup,” he said.

Pakistan would be willing to play their World Cup games in Bangladesh or any other venue acceptable to India, he said, calling it “a model that goes forward and resolves this political logjam” between the two countries.

The BCCI is headed by Jay Shah, the son of India's powerful home minister Amit Shah.

But Sethi, a former journalist turned cricket administrator, called on the Indian cricket body to “stand up” to New Delhi and insist on being allowed to travel to Pakistan as “it cannot cite security as an issue anymore”.

There was no immediate reaction from the BCCI to Sethi's comments. (AFP)

Comments - 5

Jaffna Logic Friday, 12 May 2023 11:01 PM

Pakistan is logical in its suggestion that if “India refuses to come to Pakistan then let’s have both the tournaments out at a neutral land”. But knowing the arrogance of the dirty Indians they wouldn’t budge and the toothless ICC would back the Indians. So, here is a suggestion , let the tournaments go ahead as planned ,but with only one change, that of all Indian Pakistan encounters to be played in Sri Lanka.

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OneIndia Saturday, 13 May 2023 08:27 PM

Beggar Srilankans should be greatfull to India for their very existence

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Reformist Saturday, 13 May 2023 07:11 AM

It is very fair. If India dictates terms, so should other members. Why should Pakistan travel to India, when India doesn't?. It is the same with IPL. India doesn't want to send its players to other leagues, but wants all other countries to send their players to IPL. How does that work? It is bullying.

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Joshua Saturday, 13 May 2023 08:54 AM

End of the day what BCCI wants will prevail.

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Nspoleon Solo Monday, 15 May 2023 08:20 AM

Well daid Jaffna logic. Horseshit! Whats circulating in India is all illegally earned money through drugs. India’s economy does not have an honest Indian rupee in its coffers its all money illegitimately earned its actually a wholly corrupt nation of scoundrels with fascists and racists at its helm.

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