<p>The ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan, which is set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15, has been adversely affected by the political tensions between the two countries. According to a story in The Indian Express, Pakistan’s minister responsible for sports, Ehsaan Mazari, has set rigid requirements for Pakistan’s participation in the competition.</p>
<p><img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-65544″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-750×452.jpg” alt=”” width=”1352″ height=”815″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-750×452.jpg 750w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-1024×617.jpg 1024w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-768×463.jpg 768w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-780×470.jpg 780w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon-150×90.jpg 150w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/www.theindiaprint.com-pakistani-minister-makes-shocking-remarks-on-the-nations-world-cup-participation-if-india-requests-to-play-asia-cup-11zon-cropped-2023-07-09t151942.868-11zon.jpg 1404w” sizes=”(max-width: 1352px) 100vw, 1352px” /></p>
<p>If BCCI doesn’t send its players over the border for the Asia Cup, according to Mazari, Pakistan would make similar demands. The Asia Cup, which was originally planned to take place exclusively in Pakistan, has been the subject of a heated dispute between the two cricket governing bodies, BCCI and PCB. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) proposed a hybrid concept in response to India’s unwillingness to cross the border, and the competition is reportedly taking place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.</p>
<p>The Indian Express cited Mazari as stating, “In my personal opinion, given that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) falls under my ministry, if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India.”</p>
<p>One day after Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, convened a high-level committee to decide on the nation’s participation in the main event, the sports minister made the announcement.</p>
<p>Giving information on the group and its members, Mazari stated: “I am one of the committee’s 11 ministers, and the body will be led by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The PM, who is also the PCB’s patron-in-chief, will hear our discussion of the problem and receive our suggestions. Ultimately, the PM will decide.</p>
<p>Mazari also voiced his discontent with the ‘hybrid’ format for the Asia Cup that has been presented. “Since Pakistan is the host nation, all of the games may be played there. I don’t want a hybrid model; that’s what cricket fans want, he added.</p>
<p>In addition, he said that India was politicising sports, particularly cricket. “Sports enter politics in India. Why the Indian government doesn’t want to bring its cricket team here is something I don’t comprehend. A sizable Indian baseball team visited Islamabad before to play. The bridge team that had visited Pakistan was another. There were more than 60 people there, and I was the event’s main guest. After winning, they departed. The football, hockey, and chess teams from Pakistan also visit India, he said.</p>
