Pakistan may have to soften its stance regarding participation in the ODI World Cup in India if it wants to avoid cricketing isolation according to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee’s head Najam Sethi.
The issue stems from India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup with India’s cricketing board, the BCCI, adamant about hosting the event on a neutral venue. Pakistan, in reply, raised the prospects of withdrawing participation in the ODI World Cup which will take place in India the same year.
But those claims were made by the former head of the PCB Ramiz Raja who is no longer in power.
His interim successor, Najam Sethi, holds alternate views on the matter.
“As far as Asia Cup is concerned, I will go to ACC and see what the situation is; we’ll take a decision which is in the better interest of the game,” he said during a press conference.
“We have to see what other board’s position is, we have to play cricket with everyone, we will not take any step which can cause any isolation.”
The 74-year-old wants to take a more diplomatic approach regarding the issue by pursuing a dialogue with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) rather than going on the offensive and upsetting the status quo.
He also ruled out the possibility of Pakistan skipping the cricketing showpiece event unless the government decides otherwise.
“We will obey whatever the government would suggest to us and we will seek the government’s advice when the time arrives, similar to the last time I was the chairman,” Sethi added.
Pakistan yielding its stance underscores India’s growing power in global cricket.
