The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not "comfortable" about playing against certain teams in certain venues during the ODI World Cup in India, including against Afghanistan in Chennai and Australia in Bangalore. The impasse over the holding of the Asia Cup has ended and Pakistan is expected to visit India for the World Cup to be held in October-November. The much-awaited encounter between India and Pakistan is likely to take place in Ahmedabad on October 15.
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Before announcing the World Cup schedule, the International Cricket Council (ICC) sought suggestions from all member boards, including the PCB, on the proposed schedule. A reliable source in the PCB said that the board's statistics, analyst, and team strategy specialist have been tasked with approving the venues where the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have hosted Pakistan's matches during the prestigious 50-over tournament. A provisional program has been prepared.


"The PCB has sent the team's tentative schedule to the selectors/experts who are probably not comfortable with the schedule and venue of some of the matches of the Pakistan team," the source said. For example, he has objections to playing Afghanistan in Chennai and Australia in Bangalore.

Playing Afghanistan on a spin-friendly pitch in Chennai means Pakistan will have to deal with spinners like Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed, who have done well for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2023. The Bangalore pitch is generally batting-friendly and it is difficult to understand why Pakistan has any objection to playing Australia at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. A PCB source said the selectors have advised the board not to accept Chennai as the venue against Afghanistan as it is a venue that is historically and statistically favorable to spinners.

The suggestion to the board is to ask the ICC/BCCI to reschedule Pakistan's matches and play Afghanistan in Bangalore and Australia in Chennai according to the team's strengths, the source claimed. However, a BCCI source said that it is part of protocol for the ICC to seek suggestions from members on the schedule and there should be a valid reason for the change of venue. The source said, the member boards may seek a change of venue due to security reasons like Pakistan did in 2016 when they came to India for the T20 World Cup. If you start objecting on the spot according to the strong and weak sides of your team, then finalizing the program will be extremely difficult. Therefore, there is no change of venue unless there is sufficient cogent reason, he added.

The sources were talking about shifting the India-Pakistan match in the 2016 T20 World Cup from Dharamsala to Kolkata. Last month, the PCB announced a new national selection committee, which for the first time included Hasan Cheema as national team secretary, management analyst, and team strategist, while national men's team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grand Bradburn were also included in it. Are included.

Don't mind playing India in Ahmedabad
When asked about Pakistan agreeing to play the World Cup tie against India in Ahmedabad, a PCB source said that it has almost been agreed upon but the final decision will be taken by the government. Pakistan has to play its two opening matches in Hyderabad on October 6 and 12. Apart from this, Pakistan is expected to play in Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad.

(pc amarujala)