A day after making a bold statement that Pakistan can refuse to come to India to play the ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan’s Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari believes that Pakistan can demand to play their ODI World Cup 2023 under a ‘hybrid model’ outside India if India are doing the same for the Asia Cup 2023.
Mazari said on Naya Pakistan show on Geo TV in Pakistan that former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi didn’t negotiate well for the Asia Cup 2023. “Our negotiations could have been much better for the Asia Cup 2023. We are playing just 4 matches in Pakistan during Asia Cup 2023 when we are the hosts. Even the final is taking place in Sri Lanka,” Mazari said on Naya Pakistan show.
“BCCI wish was that Pakistan should not host the Asia Cup 2023. But they didn’t get their wish. However, PCB now have negotiated this much better,” Mazari added.
“We can definitely negotiate on terms with BCCI that if they refuse to come and play in Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023, then Pakistan can also demand to play their ODI World Cup 2023 matches out of India under a ‘hybrid’ model. We can definitely negotiate that,” Mazari said.
WATCH Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari speak about Pakistan’s participation in ODI World Cup 2023…
Ehsan Mazari says the previous management under Najam Sethi didn't negotiate well and major teams should have come to play in Pakistan for the Asia Cup. He also says PCB can negotiate and play their World Cup matches outside India and on a neutral venue.pic.twitter.com/5kOq3D3L1e
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 9, 2023
Pakistan are scheduled to face off against India in the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Mazari said in an interview to Indian Express newspaper that Pakistan should demand that their World Cup 2023 matches are played at a neutral venue since India did the same with regards to the Asia Cup 2023.
“My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India,” Mazari told The Indian Express.
A hybrid model will be used for the Asia Cup 2023 this year after India refused to tour Pakistan for the event due to security concerns. But the final schedule for the Asia Cup has still not been announced.
The first phase of four matches are set to take place in Lahore with the remaining tournament moving to Sri Lanka and possibly Dambulla, where the major matches including India vs Pakistan clash and final will take place.
“Pakistan is the host (for the Asia Cup), it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model,” Mazari said in the interview.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has set up a high-profile committee in order to decide whether the Men in Green will travel to India for the Cricket World Cup in October-November 2023. The committee will be led by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“The committee will be headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB. The PM will take the final decision,” the IPC minister said.
