Can Pakistan Play their World Cup 2023 Matches outside India?
After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) denied to play their matches of Asia Cup 2023 in Pakistan and decided to go for a neutral venue, while the rest of the tournament was going to be held, in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made a similar decision.
According to the latest reports by ESPNCricinfo, Pakistan’s matches of the ODI World Cup 2023 are all set to be held in Bangladesh, while the rest of the tournament will take place in India.
The idea came up on the sidelines of the board meetings in Dubai, where India’s presence in the Asia Cup 2023 – and consequently Pakistan’s at the World Cup 2023 – were points on the agendas of both members.
It has only been mentioned, as an option, and no formal discussions have taken place on the matter but the PCB has been keen to point out that India not playing in Pakistan in an Asia Cup has a potential impact on the ICC’s Champions Trophy, due to be held in Pakistan in February 2025.
The Asian Cricket Council agreed in principle to look at a hybrid model that will allow the tournament to take place in Pakistan but for India’s matches of Aisa Cup 2023 to be played at a neutral venue is yet to be finalized. Options include the UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka, or even England.
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Notably, the last time the Pakistan cricket team traveled to India was for a bilateral series in 2013, and ever since then, both sides haven’t met in any bilateral series because of the political tension between the two countries.
