PCB seeks official clearance to travel to India for WC, writes to Pakistan PM: Report

Members of the video take images of the trophy of the upcoming Men’s Cricket World Cup during an event announcing the tournament’s schedule, in Mumbai on June 27, 2023. India will host Pakistan’s cricket team for the first time in seven years for the 50-over World Cup, the International Cricket Council said on June 27.
| Photo Credit: AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking official clearance to travel to India for the ODI World Cup in October-November, according to a report.

In the letter, also addressed to the Interior and the Foreign Ministry, the PCB has asked for advice on whether the national team is allowed to travel to India, and if so, if there are any reservations about any of the five venues for the Pakistan games, according to ‘Espncricinfo.com‘.

Cricket World Cup 2023 | Pakistan to send security delegation to India for inspecting WC venues

“Soon after the World Cup schedule was announced last Tuesday, we wrote to our Patron, Honourable Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, through the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ministry, copying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior, requesting clearance to participate in the World Cup,” the PCB told the website.

“The decision to visit India and approve venues at which we can play our matches is the prerogative of the Government of Pakistan. We have absolute trust in the judgment of our government and will follow whatever is advised.”

“It is entirely up to the Government of Pakistan the process it wants to formulate and follow before advising us on the next steps. If this requires sending an advance team to India to inspect the venues and hold meetings with the event organisers, then it will solely be the government’s decision.”

The letter was written on June 26, according to the report. It also said that the PCB shared Pakistan’s schedule with the government.

It is also understood that Pakistan is set to send a security delegation to India for inspecting the venues before giving clearance for the national team’s travel to the neighbouring country for the World Cup.

2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India | Full schedule, venues, time, teams and where to stream

An official source in the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry said that the government, including the foreign and interior ministry, would decide when to send the security delegation to India once the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board was elected after the Eid holidays.

He said the delegation is likely to visit Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, the venue for the marque India-Pakistan match on October 15.