PCB seeks clearance to travel to India for 2023 ODI World Cup, writes to Pak PM: Report

Pakistan are scheduled to play their World Cup games in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

By Salman Anjum - 03 Jul, 2023

Last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the complete fixtures for the 2023 ODI World Cup, slated to be held in India from October 5 to November 19.

As per the schedule, the highly-anticipated India versus Pakistan encounter will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15. Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata are the other four venues where Pakistan’s matches have been allocated.

Meanwhile, a report published in ESPNCricinfo claims that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking official clearance to travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

In the letter, the governing body has also addressed to the interior and the foreign ministry, asking for advice on whether the national team is allowed to travel to India and if there are any reservations about any of the five venues for the Pakistan games.

"Soon after the World Cup schedule was announced last Tuesday, we wrote to our Patron, Honourable Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, through the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ministry, copying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior, requesting clearance to participate in the World Cup," the PCB told the ESPNCricinfo.

"The decision to visit India and approve venues at which we can play our matches is the prerogative of the Government of Pakistan. We have absolute trust in the judgment of our government and will follow whatever is advised.

"It is entirely up to the Government of Pakistan the process it wants to formulate and follow before advising us on the next steps. If this requires sending an advance team to India to inspect the venues and hold meetings with the event organisers, then it will solely be the government's decision."

As per the report, Pakistan's schedule with the government was shared in the letter written on June 26.

Earlier, a PTI report suggested that Pakistan will send a security delegation to India for inspecting the venues before giving clearance to the national team regarding their travel to the neighbouring country for the ODI World Cup.

The report, quoting a source in the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry, stated that the government, including the foreign and interior ministry would decide when to send the security delegation to India once the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board gets elected after the Eid holidays.

The source also said that if the delegation feels it would be better for Pakistan to play at some other venue instead of the assigned one, it will mention that in its report.

(With PTI Inputs)

By Salman Anjum - 03 Jul, 2023

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