PCB-Pakistan’s cricket board Chairman , Najam Sethi stated that “Very real Possibility” Pakistan may boycott ICC World cup 2023 in India if loses Asia cup 2023 hosting rights.
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Pakistan May Boycott World Cup 2023
In a recent interview with Reuters, Najam Sethi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), expressed serious concerns about Pakistan’s potential boycott of the upcoming World Cup in India. Sethi stated that if Pakistan loses the hosting rights to the Asia Cup, there is a “very real possibility” that they will refuse to participate in the ICC Mens Cricket World Cup 2023.
The strained political relations between India and Pakistan over the past decade have already led to a halt in bilateral cricket matches between the two countries forcing them to face each other only in multi-team events held at neutral venues.
The Asia Cup 2023 scheduled for September has become a subject of contention between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan. India has cited safety concerns and declined to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, prompting the PCB to propose a “hybrid model” in which matches would be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
While BCCi (Board of cricket control of india) is yet to respond on this offer, Sethi revealed that India wants the entire tournament moved out of Pakistan, which could have significant repercussions not only for this year’s World Cup in India but also for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
During a Zoom interview, Sethi emphasized the importance of the BCCI making a rational decision to avoid a potential boycott from Pakistan, which could lead to India reciprocating by boycotting the Champions Trophy. Such a scenario would create a massive mess for the cricketing world.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have also expressed reservations about playing in the UAE due to concerns about extreme heat and logistics, leading to speculation that the Asian Cricket Council may consider relocating the entire tournament.
Sethi vehemently stated that relocating the Asia Cup out of Pakistan is “not acceptable” and reiterated that Pakistan may indeed boycott the World Cup if such a decision were made. He acknowledged the security concerns for the Pakistani team in India and suggested alternative venues such as Dhaka, Mirpur, the UAE or Sri Lanka for their matches.
Sethi proposed this as a temporary solution until India agrees to play bilateral matches with Pakistan, both within Pakistan and outside it.
While the BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah, was unavailable for immediate comment, neither the Indian board nor the International Cricket Council (ICC) have indicated any consideration for hosting World Cup matches outside India.
Sethi emphasized that Pakistan, being a top cricketing nation and the 1992 World Cup champions, should not be ignored, and suggested that discussions with the ICC would be necessary to address the Asia Cup dilemma.
Following the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, Pakistan faced a prolonged absence of international cricket and had to work hard to convince major teams to resume touring the country in recent years.
Sethi highlighted the successful efforts in bringing international cricket back to Pakistan, with numerous top cricketing nations visiting and acknowledging the country’s robust security arrangements.
Sethi further criticized the BCCI’s stubbornness in failing to develop the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry into the greatest in the sport. He pointed out that Indian teams from various other sports have visited Pakistan, questioning why the Indian cricket team cannot do the same.
A Plea for Resolving the India-Pakistan Cricket Impasse
The chairman of the PCB, Najam Sethi, appealed to the BCCI and the ICC to intervene and find a resolution to the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket impasse. Sethi emphasized that the Pakistan team’s participation in the World Cup could be at stake if Pakistan loses hosting rights for the Asia Cup.
e urged the BCCI to make a rational decision and avoid a potential boycott, which could lead to India boycotting the Champions Trophy. The Pakistan Cricket
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