If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not permit the Men in Blue to compete in the Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan could withdraw from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to be hosted in India later this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have engaged in a protracted verbal spat over the past year. Following the BCCI’s announcement that India would not travel to Pakistan to play in the 2023 Asia Cup, the PCB issued a threat to the BCCI stating that they would not travel to India to play in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
BCCI is willing to negotiate for the Asia Cup 2023 to be staged in Pakistan and for only India matches to be moved outside, but it has no intention of negotiating for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. According to the most recent ESPNcricinfo report, India will play its Asia Cup game in the United Arab Emirates, while the matches for the men in green will take place in a neutral location, probably Bangladesh.
BCCI and PCB take their rivalry off the field
The participation of the Pakistan national cricket team in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be played in India later in the year during the October- November window, is one of the most controversial topics in cricket at the moment. Due to political difficulties between the two nations, Pakistan’s last trip to India for a bilateral series took place in 2013, and since then, the two have not played any bilateral series together.
India and Pakistan only currently compete against each other in ICC and ACC competitions. The two teams previously met off in the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup 2022, where Virat Kohli’s incredible 82-run innings helped the Men in Blue overcome the Men in Green by 5 wickets.
The whole situation flared up when BCCI secretary Jay Shah declared that Team India wouldn’t be going to Pakistan this year to compete in the Asia Cup 2023. In retaliation, many former players and PCB members called for a boycott of the ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India. The absence of India from the Asia Cup could affect the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, which will also be played in Pakistan, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The Asian Cricket Council recently decided that Pakistan will host the remainder of the Asia Cup while a neutral site would host India’s matches, according to reports. For this, a hybrid model is being considered as a remedy. India’s matches are most likely to be held at a neutral location despite Pakistan serving as the tournament’s host.
But, it appears that the tensions have now also affected the arrangements for the ODI World Cup. ESPNCricinfo reported that all of Pakistan’s ODI World Cup 2023 fixtures will be played in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, with the remaining matches of the tournament taking place in India. Bangladesh has been suggested as the venue because of its proximity to India which could result in Pakistan moving its games to a neutral site.
Moreover, the reports say that the PCB will adopt the same hybrid model for the upcoming marquee ICC events. On the other hand, ICC has denied these assertions and stated that India is currently in the midst of preparations for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.