Team India is set to stage the marquee ODI World Cup 2023 which will be played in October-November later this year. However with the tentative schedule out, the final one is still awaited as Pakistan are yet to confirm their participation in the showpiece tournament in the backdrop of India's refusal to visit the neighbouring nation for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign ministry is evaluating all aspects of their team's participation in the ODI World Cup 2023 in India. In a statement, the foreign ministry confirmed that Pakistan would be represented at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to be hosted by India where they will discuss about their participation in the mega event.
The former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Najam Sethi earlier stated that their team's participation is subject to their government's approval. PCB also wrote to ICC expressing their reluctance over venues for few matches following the release of the draft schedule by the apex governing council last week that required every participating team's final approval. Going by the draft, Babar Azam's Pakistan will play Australia in Bengaluru on October 20 and Afghanistan in Chennai on October 23. However they showed their disapproval and hence requested to swap venues for these two games. But both BCCI and ICC didn't buy their request.
Meanwhile, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch - a spokesperson for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said politics and sports should be kept separate.
Mumtaz added the foreign office is evaluating the security situation for Pakistani cricketers and will offer their view in due course.
“We have received the official invitation from the Indian prime minister to our prime minister for the virtual meeting of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that is due to take place on the 4th of July. Pakistan will be represented at the summit. We will be making an announcement regarding our participation in the coming days,” she said.
"Regarding cricket, Pakistan is of the view that politics should not be mixed with sports. India's policy of not playing cricket in Pakistan is disappointing. We are observing and evaluating all aspects relating to our participation in the World Cup, including the security situation for Pakistani cricketers, and we will offer our views to PCB in due course," Mumtaz Zahra Baloch added.
Pakistan's reluctance to visit India was stirred more following Asian Cricket Council (ACC) approval for the hybrid model for the upcoming Asia Cup. ACC president Jay Shah had earlier announced that India will not travel to Pakistan. Notably, the first four matches of Asia Cup 2023 will be played in Pakistan and then will move to Sri Lanka for the last nine ties.
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