Ehsaan Mazari, the Sports Minister of Pakistan, said on Sunday that if India did not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, then Pakistan will withdraw from the 2023 ODI World Cup.“My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board 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.🚨🚨 Team Indias fixtures for ICC Mens Cricket World Cup 2023 👇👇 #CWC23 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/LIPUVnJEeu— BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2023Pak Sports Minister against Asia Cup hybrid modelRecently, the Asian Cricket Council announced that the upcoming Asia Cup will be played in a hybrid model, with four matches being played in Pakistan and the rest in Sri Lanka.“We are delighted to announce that the Asia Cup 2023 will be held from 31st August to 17th September 2023 and will see the elite teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal, compete in a total of 13 exciting ODI matches,” the ACC said in a statement.“The tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka.”While Pakistan Cricket Board Chairperson Najam Sethi has agreed to the hybrid model, minister Ehsaan Mazari is strongly opposed to this model.Criticising Najam Sethi for his comments, Mazari said, “When I heard this statement, I smiled and said to myself – this is one way to make sure we dont come to India”“Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I dont want a hybrid model,” Mazari said.Emerging Asia Cup schedule. India A Vs Pakistan A on 19th July. pic.twitter.com/JNnOFJu3F1— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 6, 2023Mazari criticised India for its refusal to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup, accusing it of mixing sports and politics.“India brings sports into politics. I dont understand why the Indian government doesnt want to send their cricket team here. Some time back a huge baseball contingent from India was in Islamabad to play. There was also the bridge team that had travelled to Pakistan. There were around 60 plus people, I was the chief guest of the event. They won here and left. Pakistans football, hockey and chess teams also travel to India,” he said.He gave examples of the New Zealand and England cricket teams, which visited Pakistan for cricketing tours, in saying that India should have no security reservations for travelling to Pakistan.PM to form committee to decide on Pak World Cup participation: Sports MinisterSports Minister Ehsaan Mazari confirmed that the committee formed by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will decide whether the cricket team will participate in the 2023 World Cup.“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,” Mazari said.BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who is also the chairman of the ACC, is scheduled to meet with PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf in an ICC meeting in South Africa next week.Mazari said that playing in Ahmedabad wont be an issue for the Pakistan team, but it will depend on a positive response from the Indian side in the ICC meeting.“I dont think Ahmedabad will be an issue. Pakistan has played there earlier. But before that there should be a positive response from India. India should play in Pakistan. Zaka Ashraf has gone to South Africa and so lets see what is decided and what happens,” he said.
