Interstate Coordination Minister Esanur Rehman Mazari confirmed on Saturday that Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif has set up a commission to consider the Pakistan cricket team’s participation in the World Cup to be held in India later this year.
“I received a letter last night regarding his formation,” he told Dawn by phone, adding that a special assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi had been appointed as the commission’s coordinator.
He added that committee members would make recommendations for the Pakistani national team to visit India for the World Cup, but that the final decision on the matter “will be made at the prime minister’s office.”
The development comes amid uncertainty over whether the Pakistani team will travel to India for the tournament, which is scheduled to run from 5 October to 19 November.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) formally informed the government last week to allow the national team to visit India for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup. According to the schedule, Pakistan will host World Cup matches at five venues: Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. PCB had asked the government for advice on various aspects of playing at each of the venues mentioned.
If Babar Azam’s team reaches the semi-finals, they will not be playing in Mumbai, one of the host cities for the final four games. After the ICC upheld the PCB’s request to avoid Mumbai as one of Pakistan’s tourist destinations, the team will host the match in Kolkata instead.
India has denied travel to Pakistan for the Asian Cup due to be held in August and September, and Pakistan has responded by stating that the World Cup will be held unless at least part of the Asian Cup matches are allowed in their country, threatened to boycott World cup. The conflict was finally resolved last month when the Asian Cricket Council accepted Pakistan’s match-sharing hybrid model solution between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
India will now play their Asian Cup matches at neutral venues in Sri Lanka.
