Following allegations that Pakistan will play its 2023 World Cup group stage matches in Bangladesh in retaliation for the BCCI’s plan to play its 2023 Asia Cup matches in the UAE rather than Pakistan, the ICC has put all such conversations on hold. Earlier reports suggested that this decision was made during the recent ICC meeting in Dubai; however, when contacted by the game’s governing organization, they dismissed this information, calling it a “figment of imagination.”
“No one knows if PCB chief Mr. Najam Sethi has had any informal discussions with his Bangladeshi counterpart Najmul Hasan Papon, but this can be said with a degree of certainty that no such discussions happened officially that Pakistan will play in Bangladesh,” an ICC board source privy to the developments told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
According to a source close to the situation, the BCCI has assured their Pakistani counterparts that visas will be issued for the World Cup. An ICC insider also cleared the air on Bangladesh co-hosting the World Cup in the aforementioned scenario, stating that they are not even in the running.
“The BCCI has categorically said that there will be no problems with the procurement of visas. One of the main points for a host country is that all participating nations will be given visas on time. From ICC’s part, Bangladesh is not even in its scheme of things as a co-host as of now,” the source said.
ICC source doubts concept’s viability: Pakistan’s semis/finals matches in Bangladesh seems impractical
Expounding on how useless this concept appears to be, an ICC source stated that if Pakistan advances to the semi-finals or possibly the finals, how could they play those matches in Bangladesh?
“Suppose Pakistan reach the semi-finals or wins to play the finals, do they expect the matches to be played in Bangladesh? This is not a theatre of absurd happening,” the unnamed ICC source added.
On the other hand, top BCCI officials feel that the PCB’s ruse is intended to reverse the BCCI’s decision to change the venue of the Indian squad for the Asia Cup.
“We understand that this is a kind of pressure tactic applied by PCB because of the Asia Cup issue. But let me tell you, ultimately, Asia Cup will also be played in UAE or Qatar and probably Pakistan will also have to play its matches in one of these countries,” a BCCI source said on the same.