Pakistan's foreign office is evaluation all the aspects regarding to the Babar Azam-led side travelling for the ODI World Cup in India. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been non-committal right through about their chances of travelling to India for the mega event. This is the first time that Pakistan government has reacted on the matter in public. The non-assurance from Pakistan has even resulted in delay in announcement of the World Cup schedule with only just over three months to go for the tournament.
PCB had also written to the ICC after they were sent the draft schedule of the World Cup that they cannot approve the fixture list unless and until the government approves it. "We have received the official invitation from the Indian prime minister to our prime minister for the virtual meeting of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that is due to take place on the 4th of July.
"Pakistan will be represented at the summit. We will be making an announcement regarding our participation in the coming days," a spokesperson for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said in a weekly media briefing in Islamabad. The spokesperson also expressed the disappointment that India decided not to travel Pakistan for the Asia Cup that will be played in hybrid model now. Furthermore, he stated that the security situation in India will be reviewed and the government will inform its decision to the PCB soon.
"Regarding cricket, Pakistan is of the view that politics should not be mixed with sports. India's policy of not playing cricket in Pakistan is disappointing. We are observing and evaluating all aspects relating to our participation in the World Cup including the security situation for Pakistani cricketers and we will offer our views to PCB in due course," the spokesperson added.
