Pakistan to Not Play in India for the World Cup 2023
Kohli and Shadab Khan after World Cup 2022 game [AP Photos]
In an incredible turn of events, Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to wrestle their Indian counterparts. Reportedly, the Pakistan team will not be travelling to India for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, scheduled for October-November later this year. Instead, they will be playing all their matches in Bangladesh.
This update is broken days after being notified that the Men in Blue wouldn't go to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023.
As per a report circulated earlier this week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has asked PCB to host their team’s matches in the UAE, Sri Lanka, Oman or England.
Due to the ongoing political calamity between both nations, PCB has appealed to the ICC that they want to avoid travelling to the neighbouring country and playing at a neutral venue. As a result, the two teams just meet in ICC or multi-nation events after last playing a bilateral series back in 2012-13.
The last time when a World Cup was hosted in the sub-continent, India co-hosted the tournament alongside Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Then too, the Men in Green played all their league matches in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh before going to Mohali for the semifinal against India. However, they had to come to India for the T20 World Cup of 2016.
It is still unlikely that ICC would bend in PCB's direction after the Pakistan board's appeal; however, the scenario might differ even if the Asian Cricket Council allows India to contest in Asia Cup at their terms.
 "Arjun Bhalla")
