Not Confirmed: Pakistan’s Participation in the ODI World Cup in 2023. Delegation to Visit Locations Before Approval

A group from the other side of the border will conduct security checks at the sites where Babar Azam’s men are scheduled to play in the next international showcase before the Pakistan cricket team arrives in India for the ODI World Cup 2023. The Pakistani team won’t leave for India unless the security delegation gets the go-ahead.

The World Cup fixture and the final schedule were released earlier this week at a ceremony held in Mumbai by the International Cricket Council (ICC), in advance of the prestigious competition, which is scheduled to start on October 5.

The Pakistani government will arrange a definite date for the security delegation’s arrival in India after speaking with the foreign and interior ministries, according to a report in PTI from an official source in the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry. Once the new head of the Pakistan Cricket Board takes office after the Eid holidays, the delegation may go over the border.

The front-runner to succeed Najam Sethi as the next head of the PCB is said to be Zaka Ashraf.

The source was reported by PTI as adding, “The security delegation will go with representation from the PCB to inspect the venues where Pakistan will play as well as the security and other arrangements made for them in the World Cup.”

All of Pakistan’s group games will be contested in only five locations: Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. The highlight match versus Team India will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 15.

The source also verified that the security delegation’s inspection of venues follows a set protocol.

The person said, “Before each visit to India, it is customary for the cricket body to get permission from the government, which typically sends a delegation to India.

“The delegation will interact with the officials there and discuss and inspect with them the security and other arrangements for our players, officials, fans, and media, who will go for the tournament,” he said.

The insider said that the security delegation would inform BCCI and ICC of any issues they may have.

The similar method was followed when Pakistan last visited India for the T20 World Cup, a source with the PCB claims. As a result, the match between India and its neighbors was moved from Dharamsala to Kolkata on the advice of the security team.

Only when the security delegation’s report has been approved by the Pakistani government will Babar Azam and company be allowed to go to India.

“All visits to India follow the same protocol, therefore this is not unique. Even in other sports, national federations must get government approval before sending teams to competitions in India, the PCB source said.