Pakistan doesn’t have government approval yet to go to Cricket World Cup in India

Islamabad: Pakistan doesn’t have approval from its government yet to compete in the Cricket World Cup in India in October.

Cricket board chairman Najam Sethi said on Friday he has written to the International Cricket Council to say the PCB cannot unilaterally approve the World Cup draft schedule which has the marquee match between Pakistan and India at Ahmedabad on Oct. 15.

“We have written to the ICC that we can’t give approval or disapproval to this (schedule),” Sethi said in Lahore.

“It’s our government who has to decide, just like when it comes to India, it’s their government that decides when they go to play. There is no point asking us if we will play in Ahmedabad.

“When the time comes, first, the government will decide whether we are going or not, then the government decides where we will play (the matches). Our decision will rest on these two important conditions.”

Pakistan is also down to play in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.

When I discussed this issue with the prime minister (Shahbaz Sharif), he hasn’t yet decided about this (participation in the World Cup), so it’s premature to say anything,” Sethi said.

The neighboring countries haven’t played any bilateral cricket series for more than a decade for political reasons. They have regularly met in ICC tournaments, though. The last time Pakistan toured India was in 2016 for the T20 World Cup.

India has already said it will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in August-September. The Asia Cricket Council on Thursday approved Pakistan’s proposal to host four games and Sri Lanka to stage nine games.