WILL PAKISTAN ABSTAIN FROM THE INDIA ODI WORLD CUP? BIG NEWS FROM PCB CHIEF: "IF THE GOVERNMENT SAYS...WE WON'T GO"

 

After BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah declared that India will not be sending a squad to the continental event in October, tensions between the two cricket boards grew.
The next ODI World Cup will be held in India, and Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) new CEO Najam Sethi offered fans a major update on the nation's position. Pakistan had previously threatened to abstain from the main tournament if India refused to visit for the Asia Cup, which is slated to take place before the World Cup.
After BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah declared that India will not be sending a squad to the continental event in October, tensions between the two cricket boards grew.
Sethi stated on Monday that the Pakistani government, not the cricket association, will decide whether Pakistan will play in the World Cup.
"If the government forbids us from travelling to India, we won't do it. Let's be clear about the ties between Pakistan and India in terms of cricket. Whether you perform, refrain from performing, or embark on a tour, the government always has the final say." Sethi said at a press briefing in Karachi.
The PCB can only ask for clarification; these choices can only be made at the government level, he continued.
Sethi also mentioned that he would contact the ACC. "After assessing the circumstances, I will proceed. We must make sure we are not acting alone when making any decision."
In the event that India travels, it will be their first trip to the neighbouring nation in 13 years. After the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the bilateral series had practically come to a stop. The squad had last visited Pakistan during the 2008 Asia Cup.
Pakistan has only once visited India since the bombings, and that was in 2012 for a bilateral series. But at ICC and ACC events, the two sides have competed in some wild matches.