Pakistan to boycott ODI World Cup 2023 in India? PCB chief makes BIG statement

Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) new chief Najam Sethi on Monday (December 26) made a big statement on his country’s stand to send Pakistan cricket team to India to play in 2023 ODI World Cup. It may be recalled that former PCB chief Ramiz Raja had threatened that Pakistan will boycott OCI World Cup 2023 if India fails to travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup.

The relations between PCB and BCCI touched a new low after BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of Asian Cricket Council, said that Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup in October 2023.

Sethi asserted that a decision on sending Pakistan cricket team to participate in ODI World Cup 2023 will be taken by the government and not the PCB.

"If the government says don't go to India, we will not go. Where Pakistan and India's cricket relations are concerned, let's be clear. (The) decisions on whether to play or not play tour or not tour are always taken at the government level," Sethi told a press conference in Karachi.

"These are decisions only taken at the government level; the PCB can only seek clarity," he added.

Sethi added that he will talk to ACC to get clarity over the situation. "I will see what the situation is and then move forward. Any decision we take, we have to make sure we are not isolated,” remarked the PCB chief.

It may be recalled that Indian cricket team last went to Pakistan in 2008 to play in Asia Cup and the bilateral series have nearly ended after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which was carried out at the behest of Pakistani government.