PCB unhappy with two venues for 2023 ODI World Cup matches - Reports

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are asking for changes in two venues for matches in 2023 ODI World Cup.

The long-awaited debate for upcoming Asia Cup finally settled after the ACC accepted Pakistan's hybrid model with a few changes in it. Four matches will be hosted by the official hosts, Pakistan, while the other games will take place in Sri Lanka. But now it looks like the Pakistan Cricket Board has some other things to settle down. Now, the PCB are seeking for changes in venues of two of their games during the upcoming World Cup in India.

The 2023 ODI World Cup is scheduled to take place in India during October-November 2023. This will be the fourth time that India will host the mega event. However, in three previous three occasions, they co-hosted it along with, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The mega-clash between India and Pakistan is likely to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

PCB asking for changes in venues for their games against Afghanistan and Australia during ODI World Cup: Reports

Notably, before announcing the schedule for World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) asked every cricket board including PCB for any suggestions for the proposed model, schedule or fixture. However, a PCB source confirmed that news that Pakistan Cricket Board is not happy to play Afghanistan in Chennai because of spin friendly pitches and Australia in Bengaluru which is batting surface and wants to shuffle these venues with each other.

The source told PTI, "The PCB are not comfortable with some of the Pakistan team's scheduled matches and venues like they have reservations on Pakistan playing Afghanistan in Chennai and Australia at Bengaluru. The suggestion is to ask the ICC/BCCI to reschedule Pakistan's matches and play Afghanistan in Bengaluru and Australia in Chennai to the team's strength." Afghanistan can be a threat in Chennai with the likes of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed in the team, who did an amazing job in the IPL 2023. However, it is yet to be known that why PCB don't want to play Australia in Bengaluru.

On other hand, a BCCI source revealed that ICC asking for suggestions is a part of procedure but if a team wants to shift or change the venues then, they need a strong reason behind that. The source confirmed, "If you start expressing reservations over a venue as per your team's strengths and weaknesses on the field, then it becomes very tough to finalise the schedule. So unless there is a strong enough reason, no changes are made as far as the venues are concerned."

Notably, the game between India and Pakistan in the 2016 T20 World Cup saw the change of venues. According to the report, some PCB officials believe that India had purposely scheduled Pakistan's matches on these venues so that they can face challenges due to conditions. However, the ICC is yet to announce the 2023 ODI World Cup schedule. But the reports confirm that India will lock horns with Pakistan on 15 October in Ahmedabad.