Under the leadership of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Pakistani government has formed a high-profile committee to decide upon the country’s participation in the forthcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, set to be hosted by India.
The decision has been fueled by ongoing tensions and security concerns in the neighbouring country, leaving the participation of the Pakistani team in doubt for this major cricketing event.
The World Cup, which follows a 50-over match format, is scheduled to commence in October of this year. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stated it needs governmental approval before sending its squad to India, a country with which it has strained since the partition in 1947.
Recently, the PCB sent a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeking clearance for the team’s participation in the tournament. Following the request, the Prime Minister established a high-level committee to determine whether Pakistan should send its national team to India.
Committee Recommendations on World Cup Participation
The committee, spearheaded by FM Bilawal, will provide recommendations on all aspects of the World Cup in India, with Pakistan’s tour ultimately determined by these recommendations. The final suggestions will be forwarded to the Prime Minister for ultimate approval.
Members of the committee include Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, along with chiefs of the national security institutions and the foreign secretary.
In its communication through the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), the PCB also requested that the government scrutinize the anticipated security measures at the five venues proposed for Pakistan’s World Cup matches.
The ICC recently released the schedule for World Cup 2023, setting the highly anticipated Pakistan-India match for October 15 in Ahmedabad. Should Pakistan reach the semi-final, they will play in Kolkata, with the final match scheduled for November 15 in Ahmedabad.
This is not the first time the Pakistani government has had to decide on its cricket team’s participation in a tournament hosted by India. In 2016, the government sent a three-person delegation to India for a reconnaissance mission before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, resulting in the ICC shifting the location of the Pakistan-India match from Dharamsala to Kolkata due to security concerns.
