ODI WC India: PCB acting chairman Zaka Ashraf to push for Pakistan's matches at neutral venues

The One-day Cricket World Cup is less than three months away and India is gearing up to host the mega event after 2011. The dates and fixtures of the event are out but Pakistan seems to be reluctant over sending its team to India. PCB had earlier stated that their participation in the showpiece event is dependent on government approval. Now Pakistan is seemingly searching for possibilities of not playing in India.

According to the Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports), Ahsan Mazari, PCB acting chairman Zaka Ashraf will be pushing to get neutral venues for Pakistan games in the ODI World Cup. Ashraf and PCB chief operating officer, Salman Taseer are in Durban to attend meetings of the International Cricket Council and they will bring up the issue there. "Zaka Ashraf will bring up the issue of why can't Pakistan's matches in the World Cup be played at neutral venues when the Indian team can't travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup," he



said.

I want our matches at neutral venues if India does not come: Mazari

The Minister further added that he wants the Babar Azam team's matches to be held at neutral venues if India are not coming to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. "I want our World Cup matches at neutral venues if India doesn't want to send its team to Pakistan for Asia Cup.

If they have security problems in Pakistan according to the Indian board, then we can also question the security situation in India," said Mazari.

Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif had recently formed a high-level committee to decide upon the national cricket team's participation in the 2023 World Cup. The committee is headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto and the sports minister Mazari is also a member of it. He has stated that members of the committee feel in their personal capacities that Pakistan need to take a strong stance on India's refusal to travel to the neighbouring country.