BackICC top officials visits Lahore as Pakistan threatens to not visit India for ODI World Cup
ICC officials visit Lahore to seek guarantees from PCB against hybrid matches in ODI World Cup, amid controversy over Pakistan hosting the Asia Cup
PremiumThe top officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) are in Lahore to seek guarantees from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it will not push for the conduct of hybrid matches in the ODI World Cup scheduled in India this year. The visit by the ICC chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice came as PCB chief Najam Sethi said that the Pakistan cricket team will not travel to India for the World Cup if they stay away from visiting Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
The development comes amid the issue regarding Pakistan hosting this year's Asia Cup. The Board of Control of Cricket (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah has categorically said that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. Jay Shah has also not given any clear responses on Pakistan's offer of a hybrid model where India can have its matches in neutral countries while the rest of the Asia Cup is played in Pakistan.
“The ICC and World Cup hosts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are concerned with the hybrid model being pushed by Najam Sethi who heads the cricket management committee of the PCB," the sources told news agency PTI.
“Although the hybrid model has been suggested by Sethi for the Asia Cup which precedes the ICC event, the concern remains that once accepted for the regional event the PCB might also then ask the ICC to implement it for the World Cup when it comes to Pakistan playing in India," they added.
Najam Sethi has cleared that if India doesn't provide clearance or has security concerns, then PCB will ask the ICC to host Pakistan's matches at a neutral venue.
“Naturally neither the ICC nor the BCCI want such a situation since Pakistan’s unequivocal participation in matches in India would guarantee the success of Indo-Pakistan matches and also the tournament itself," the sources said.
PCB has threatened to not participate in Asia Cup if the venue of the tournament is moved to some neutral country.
“The ICC officials are trying to work as a bridge between the PCB and BCCI and resolve the outstanding issues pertaining to the Asia Cup and World Cup," the sources added.
(With agency inputs)
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