Pakistan govt. allows cricket team to travel for World Cup in India but expresses security concern

Pakistan cricket team will be travelling to India later this year to compete in the ICC World Cup later this year after the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave them permission to play in the showpiece tournament.

“Pakistan has consistently maintained that sports should not be mixed with politics. It has, therefore, decided to send its cricket team to India to participate in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan believes that the state of bilateral relations with India should not stand in the way of fulfilling its international sports-related obligations,” a press release on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.

The release also took potshots at India for their “intransigent attitude”.

The release also stated that Pakistan had “deep concerns about the safety of their cricket team” in India.

“Pakistan’s decision shows its constructive and responsible approach vis-à-vis India’s intransigent attitude, as the latter had refused to send its Cricket Team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.

“Pakistan, however, has deep concerns about the security of its cricket team. We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council and the Indian authorities. We expect that full safety and security of Pakistan Cricket Team will be ensured during its visit to India,” the release further read.

The much-awaited India-Pakistan clash was last week rescheduled to be played on October 14 instead of October 15. As The Indian Express reported, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had gotten approval for the change in schedule from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

This paper was the first to report that the date for the India-Pakistan game was likely to be changed as it would coincide with the first day of the Navratri festival, celebrated with much fervour in Gujarat.

The new schedule now has three matches on October 14. Apart from the India-Pakistan fixture, Bangladesh and New Zealand play a day game in Chennai before defending champions England face Afghanistan in Delhi in the afternoon.

(Indian Express)