Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to request neutral venues for Pakistan’s matches during the One Day International (ODI) World Cup scheduled to take place in India.
PCB’s request is likely in response to BCCI’s refusal of sending the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup. The Indian cricket board has instead proposed an idea during an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting where all games except theirs will take place across Pakistan while India will play all its matches at a neutral venue which is expected to either be Dubai or Sri Lanka.
The same formula, if found viable, will also be implemented during the 2025 Champions Trophy which Pakistan will host as well.
PCB, however, has not taken kindly to India’s constant refusal to travel to Pakistan and will ask for the same procedure in return from the International Cricket Council (ICC) with each of their ODI World Cup matches taking place elsewhere while other nations play their games across India.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been named as their potential destinations.
The ODI World Cup hosts will likely object to this idea as it could mean that the final takes place outside of India if Babar Azam’s men manage to reach the summit clash. However, they may have to acquise if Pakistan also accepts their demands for the Asia Cup.
Pakistan and India have not played each other in a bilateral series since 2013, only going head-to-head in ICC-sanctioned events. The Green Shirts last visited India for the 2016 World Cup while India last came here for Asia Cup in 2008.
The 2023 ODI World Cup will start in October.
