Pakistan Should Travel To India For World Cup 2023: Misbah-ul-Haq

image-lk3wds3uBabar Azam and Rohit Sharma ahead of PAK vs IND 2022 T20 WC clash (Twitter)

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has advised the current Babar Azam-led team to travel to India for the impending World Cup 2023 this year. His comments came amidst rising speculation around Pakistan’s fate in the tournament.

Owing to prevailing political turmoil between India and Pakistan, the BCCI withdrew from sending an Indian team to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup. As retaliation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been threatening to withdraw from the World Cup in India, until a recent diplomatic meet with the ICC urged them to stick to their participation agreement.


Misbah-ul-Haq comments as PCB awaits clearance

Earlier this month, the PCB sent a written letter to the Pakistani government seeking clearance to travel to India for the ODI World Cup. Through the letter, the PCB is also seeking if there are any reservations from the government regarding venues allotted to Pakistan for their World Cup games.

Regardless of the outcome, former skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has urged the current team to travel and perform well in India at the marquee tournament.

He questioned political interference in the sport and claimed that it would not be fair for Pakistan team fans if there was a boycott. The cricketer-turned-coach said:

“Why link cricket with political relations? It is unfair to deprive people of a chance to see their teams play against each other. It is a great injustice to the fans who follow Pakistan and Indian cricket a lot. Certainly, Pakistan should be playing in the World Cup even in India. The many times I have played in India, we have enjoyed the pressure and crowds there because it gives you motivation, and conditions in India suit us.”

Misbah-ul-Haq also urged the Pakistani team to perform well in India. He advised current players and management to not focus on exterior political interference and added that they should use this time to form a balanced playing XI as per the venues offered.

“What is happening outside their sphere, they should not think about it. The key to doing well in the World Cup in India is to get the playing XIs right.”

The Babar Azam-led side is scheduled to begin their World Cup on October 6 against the Netherlands. Notably, the Men in Green would play all their league matches across Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai Bengaluru and Kolkata.