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The ongoing debate over Pakistan’s participation in the 2023 World Cup continues to make headlines, with Pakistani officials making a variety of statements. Recently, Pakistan’s Sports Minister Ehsan Mazari expressed his country’s stand on the issue, saying that if India refused to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup, Pakistan would retaliate by boycotting the World Cup hosted by India. .
In an interview with The Indian Express, Mazari, who also looks after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), shared his personal opinion on the matter. He emphasized that if India insisted on playing its Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue, Pakistan would demand similar treatment for its World Cup matches in India.
:rotating_light::rotating_light: Team India’s schedule for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 :point_down::point_down:
#CWC23 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/LIPUVnJEeu
– BCCI (@BCCI) 27 June 2023
Mazari’s statement came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a key committee to evaluate Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming World Cup. Headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the committee is tasked with providing recommendations to the Prime Minister, who also holds the position of patron-in-chief of the PCB. Mazari is among the 11 ministers who are part of the committee.
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The committee headed by Bhutto is expected to submit its report to the prime minister in the coming weeks. This coincides with an important meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in South Africa, where Zaka Ashraf has been recently appointed as the chief. PCB will be present. Both the Asia Cup and the World Cup are likely to be discussed in the meeting to be headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
As diplomatic discussions unfold, the cricket fraternity eagerly awaits a final decision regarding Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup. The outcome of the issue would have a significant impact on the tournament and the spirit of the cricketing rivalry between the two neighboring countries.
