‘We would also demand same for our World Cup games’: Pakistan sports minister on India playing Asia Cup at neutral venue | Cricket News – Act Daily News

NEW DELHI: Ehsaan Mazari, the minister in-charge of sports activities in Pakistan, expressed his disappointment over the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) stance on the venue for the Asia Cup, saying that they’d additionally demand the identical for Babar Azam-led aspect’s ODI World Cup video games in India if Rohit Sharma’s aspect does not journey throughout the border for the continental match.
“My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India,” Mazari instructed Indian Express.

The upcoming ODI World Cup is scheduled to happen from October 5 to November 19. However, there’s a lack of readability on whether or not the Pakistan group would journey to India to take part within the marquee match. According to the World Cup schedule launched by ICC, Pakistan will play their World Cup matches at 5 venues: Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata.

Mazari’s remarks got here after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shaped a committee to debate Pakistan’s participation within the World Cup.
“The committee will be headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB. The PM will take the final decision,” he added.

On the upcoming Asia Cup, Mazari acknowledged, “Pakistan is the host, it has the right to hold all the matches in Pakistan. That is what the cricket lovers want, I don’t want a hybrid model.”
Expressing his confusion over India’s reluctance to play cricket matches in Pakistan, Mazari stated, “India brings sports into politics. I don’t understand why the Indian government doesn’t want to send their cricket team here. Some time back, a huge baseball contingent from India was in Islamabad to play. There was also the bridge team that had travelled to Pakistan. There were around 60 plus people. I was the chief guest of the event. They won here and left. Pakistan’s football, hockey, and chess teams also travel to India.”

Responding to the BCCI’s cited “security concerns,” Mazari highlighted the profitable visits of different worldwide groups to Pakistan, saying, “The New Zealand team was here, before that, the England cricket team was in Pakistan. They got presidential security. Earlier, the Indian team was given a hearty welcome by the fans here. Security is an excuse. We also held the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that had so many foreign players.”
(With inputs from IANS)