The International Cricket Council on Tuesday (June 27) unveiled the fixtures for the 2023 ODI World Cup, due to get underway on October 5 with the England versus New Zealand clash in Ahmedabad.
As per the schedule, the high-voltage India versus Pakistan encounter will also be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 15 despite the PCB expressing apprehension about facing the arch-rivals in Ahmedabad.
While PCB is yet to react to the World Cup schedule, legendary pacer Wasim Akram has said that there is no issue with the venue and Pakistan will play their games wherever they are asked to.
“There’s no issue with it. Pakistan will play wherever they are assigned to play. Simple. This unnecessary stress of ‘we won’t play in Ahmedabad’…you ask Pakistani players, they don’t care wherever their schedule comes,” Akram told reporters, as quoted by The Indian Express.
“I’m all for egos. If you have an ego and understand that what’s happening is wrong, then speak up. But again, move on then. Always plan it, always think if we can do it? Can we finish what we’ve planned to do? If we can’t, then don’t do this. It ends up becoming a cause for laughter. We’re all patriotic for our country. And they will be for their country. No doubt about it. But end of the day, it’s only a game. Governments will speak to each other, that’s their problem,” he added.
Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi had told The Indian Express, “When I heard that the Pakistan match was to be in Ahmedabad, I smiled and said to myself – ‘this is one way to make sure we don’t come to India’. I mean if you’d said Chennai or Kolkata, it might have made sense.”
Earlier, a report published in PTI claimed that PCB doesn’t want Pakistan’s World Cup games to be played in Ahmedabad unless it is a knock-out fixture like final.
"Sethi has conveyed to Barclay and Allardice that Pakistan doesn't want it matches to be scheduled in Ahmedabad unless it is a knock-out game like final," a senior PCB source told PTI earlier this month.
"He requested ICC to schedule their games in Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata if national team gets clearance from Pakistan government to travel to India for the global event scheduled in October and November," he added.
After the drafted World Cup schedule, PCB had reportedly requested a venue swap for its matches against Afghanistan and Australia as well.
Apparently, the PCB analysts studied data for Babar Azam’s side ahead of the marquee event. Subsequently, the board requested to relocate their match against Australia to Chennai and their game against Afghanistan to Bengaluru.
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is known for assisting spinners. Since Afghanistan have the likes of Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman in their ranks, Pakistan proposed a request for venue swap.
However, the request has been denied by the ICC as Pakistan will face Afghanistan at Chepauk on October 23 while their game against Australia is slated to be held at Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 20.
