ODI World Cup 2023: PCB 'unsure' but ICC 'confident' about Pakistan's participation

The Pakistan Cricket Board PCB is still apprehensive about sending its team to India for the ODI World Cup but International Cricket Council ICC is confident that the Babar Azamled team will compete in the 50over showpieceThe ICC on Tuesday announced the fixtures for the October 5November 19 tournament and rejected PCBs request to not schedule their matches in Chennai and Bengaluru against specific teamsPCB did not want to play Afghanistan on a spinfriendly track in Chennai and also wanted to avoid facing Australia in BenglauruAs part of the announcement in Mumbai it was confirmed that Pakistan will lock horns with India in Ahmedabad on October 15 and take on Australia October 20 and Afghanistan October 23 at predecided venuesAlso Read ODI World Cup 2023 ICC rejects Pakistans venue change request for two matchesSoon after the announcement the PCB made it clear that its participation in the ODI World Cup will be subject to government clearanceOur participation in the World Cup and us playing in Ahmedabad on October 15 or in Mumbai if we qualify for semifinals will all be dependent on government clearance said a PCB officialThe PCB official said the government has not yet issued any NOC to the PCB to travel to India and since it was a sensitive issue the Board can only move forward after getting clear directives from its governmentWe have already informed the ICC that our participation in the tournament or any issues over venues is linked to firstly the PCB getting clearance from the government to travel to India the official saidPakistan have a signed participation agreement to compete and the world governing body 10037 expects them to be there and has had no indications to the contraryAll members have to abide by the rules and the laws of their country and we respect that But were confident Pakistan will be in India for the mens cricket World Cup an ICC spokesperson told PTIPakistan last played in India in 2016 in the T20 World Cup The two teams play each other in the ICC events and Asia Cup due to the tense relations between the two countriesThe ICC not entertaining Pakistans request to relocate two matches was on expected lines as it usually addresses concerns over venues on potential security threat and not on cricketing groundsWith the elections for the post of PCB chairman now postponed at least until July 17 it remains to be seen how the Board reacts to the World Cup schedule announcementWith the Balochistan High Court issuing a stay order against the holding of elections for the Chairmans post on Monday on petitions filed by two former members of the PCBs cricket management committee confusion reigns in Pakistan cricket at the momentAfter Najam Sethis resignation the Board is being run by interim chairman Ahmed Shehzad Farooq RanaZaka Ashraf nominated for the chairmans post has to win votes of the Board of Governors to officially take charge of the key postThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever