Pakistan minister's sensational statement on Pakistan's Cricket World Cup participation

India are scheduled to take on Pakistan in Cricket World Cup 2023 match in Ahmedabad on 15th October.

The tussle between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been going on for a long time. Pakistan’s minister in charge for Sports, Ehsaan Mazari has now given a statement that might put the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup’s big business clash between India and Pakistan in a shadow of uncertainty.

India will take on Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on 15th October. Ehsan Mazari has now put a condition for Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup. BCCI is not willing to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, citing this Mazari has said that if India doesn’t send their team to play in Asia Cup and ask for a neutral venue, then they will also place the same demand. 

Ehsan Mazari's big statement on Pak's World Cup participation

As quoted by Indian Express, Pakistan's Minister in charge for Sports said, “My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play Asia Cup games at neutral venues, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India… Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model”.

Ehsan Mazari also accused India of doing politics with sports and added, “India brings politics into sports. I don’t understand why the Indian government doesn’t want to send their cricket team here… a baseball team from India travelled, they were 60 members, they came won and went."

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has formed a high-level committee to take a call on Pakistan’s participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Talking about the committee Ehsan Mazari informed, “The committee will be headed by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron in chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, and the PM Shahbaz will take a final call on this." Pakistan will be opening their World Cup campaign in Hyderabad on 6th October.