The Pakistani government has finally decided to allow its cricket team to visit India to participate in the upcoming world cup. In a press release issued on 6th August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it has decided to send its Cricket Team to India to participate in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, because it maintains that “sports should not be mixed with politics”.
The press release said, “Pakistan believes that the state of bilateral relations with India should not stand in the way of fulfilling its international sports-related obligations. Pakistan’s decision shows its constructive and responsible approach vis-à-vis India’s intransigent attitude, as the latter had refused to send its Cricket Team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.”
However, the foreign ministry added that it has “deep concerns about the security of its Cricket Team” in India. “We are conveying these concerns to the International Cricket Council and the Indian authorities. We expect that full safety and security of Pakistan Cricket Team will be ensured during its visit to India,” the ministry added in the statement.
Earlier, Pakistan had said that if India does not visit Pakistan to play matches, it will also not send its team to India. They had asked their matches to be held in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. However, ICC scheduled Pakistan’s matches in India, including the much-anticipated match against India in Ahmedabad.
Later the Pakistan Cricket Board agreed to play their matches in India. It will play against Sri Lanka and Netherlands in Hyderabad, Australia and New Zealand in Bengaluru, Afghanistan and South Africa in Chennai, England and Bangladesh in Kolkata.