The federal government has formed a high-profile committee headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for the deliberations over Pakistan’s participation in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is being hosted by India.
As ties between Pakistan and India remain severed, with security in the neighbouring country being a major issue, the national side’s participation in the most-anticipated cricketing event remains doubtful. The World Cup, featuring 50 overs matches, is slated to begin this October but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it requires the government’s approval to send the squad to India – the country’s arch-rival since its partition in 1947.
Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsanur Rehman Mazari confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a committee to deliberate on the Pakistan cricket team’s participation in the World Cup in India later this year.
He said that Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi had been appointed as the committee’s coordinator. He further said that committee members would make recommendations regarding the Pakistan team’s visit to India for the World Cup, but the final decision on the matter “will be taken at the Prime Minister’s House”. The development comes amid a lack of clarity on whether the Pakistan team would travel to India to participate in the tournament, scheduled to take place from October 5 to November 19.
Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with relevant departments of the government, is carrying out due diligence as part of a routine process before it gives the green light for team Pakistan to fly to India. The situation means the players aren’t sure so far if they are going to play in the World Cup or not, also not having a clear idea of what venues they will play at even if they end up travelling to India.
Last week, the cricket governing body sought clearance for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament in a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Taking the request into account, PM Shehbaz formed a high-level body to decide whether the country should send the national squad to India or not.
The committee, headed by FM Bilawal, comprises Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, chiefs of the national security institutions, and foreign secretary.
In the letter written via the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), the PCB had also requested the government to scrutinise the expected security on the five venues offered to Pakistan for their World Cup matches. According to the schedule, Pakistan will play their World Cup matches at five venues: Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The PCB had sought the government’s advice regarding several aspects of playing at each of the said venues.
The Babar Azam-led unit, if it makes it to the semi-finals, will also not play in Mumbai, one of the venues for the last four fixtures. The team, instead, will play the match in Kolkata after the ICC accepted the PCB’s demand to avoid Mumbai as one of Pakistan’s destinations. The announcement of the World Cup schedule followed a dispute over the hosting of the Asia Cup, of which Pakistan is the formal host.
India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which is to be held in August and September, and Pakistan responded by threatening to boycott the World Cup if they were not allowed to stage at least some Asia Cup matches on home soil. The stalemate was finally resolved last month when the Asian Cricket Council accepted Pakistan’s hybrid-model solution with matches split between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. India will now play their Asia Cup matches at neutral venues in Sri Lanka.
