According to an official source from Pakistan’s Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry, Pakistan plans to send a security delegation to India to assess the venues before granting approval for the national cricket team’s journey to India for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup.
The timing of the delegation’s visit will be determined by the government in consultation with the foreign and interior ministries, after the appointment of the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board following the conclusion of the Eid holidays.
The purpose of the security delegation’s visit is to inspect the World Cup venues in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. Of particular interest is the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which is set to host the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash on October 15.
The delegation will assess the security and other arrangements made for the Pakistani team, officials, fans, and media attending the tournament. If the delegation has any concerns, it will include them in its report, which will be shared with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
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The source emphasized that Pakistan’s final confirmation of participation in the World Cup will only be announced after the government grants clearance to the PCB. This is a standard procedure for all tours to India, and other sports federations also require government clearance before sending their teams to compete in India.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation is currently awaiting clearance for its team to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in August, while Pakistan’s national football team recently received last-minute approval to participate in the SAFF Championship in Bengaluru.
The ODI World Cup is scheduled to take place in ten Indian cities, starting from October 5 and concluding with the final on November 19.