No discussion on Pakistan not travelling to India for WC yet : Najam Sethi

After the reports about India playing their ACC Asia Cup matches outside of Pakistan started floating around, there were further reports that Pakistan also wouldn't travel to India for the ICC Men's World Cup in October and November 2023. Reports suggested that Pakistan would play their matches in Bangladesh, but that now found no credibility from PCB Chairman Najam Sethi. 

Sethi stated that he had briefed the media on a hybrid model he had presented to the ACC officials for the Asia Cup, to end the impasse that had been created following the BCCI’s decision to not send its team to Pakistan, but no discussion on the ICC Men's World Cup has happened yet.

"This proposal - to play India’s matches at a neutral venue and the rest in Pakistan - is under discussions within the ACC. At no stage during Thursday’s media interaction, did I give any reference to the ICC or made any remarks on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled in October. This matter has not been mooted or discussed at any ICC forum so far," a PCB media release quoted Sethi as saying.

“In this background, the PCB is disappointed that a leading English language newspaper has misquoted, misinterpreted and misrepresented Mr Sethi’s comments and gave the impression that PCB’s hybrid model was presented and discussed at the ICC, which is factually incorrect."

The PCB also mentioned in their press release that they had held discussions only with the ACC, and hadn't approached the ICC regarding the World Cup yet. However, they have also clarified that they will be taking up the issue of playing their World Cup games with ICC at a later stage. 

"At this stage, the PCB is only in discussions with the ACC over the hosting of the ACC Asia Cup and no discussions regarding the World Cup have taken place with the ICC.

“This is not to say that the hybrid model will not be advocated at the proper ICC forum at the right time.”