Pakistan to send security delegation to India for inspecting ODI World Cup 2023 Venues: Reports

The drama regarding India and Pakistan still continues with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) still having issues with the venues that have been decided for the ODI World Cup 2023. It is not hidden that the political conditions between India and Pakistan are no longer the same as they used to be in 2008 when the Indian team toured the Pakistan team. After the venues were decided for the ODI World Cup 2023 earlier this week, there have been speculations which have surrounded the fact that if Pakistan team will tour India for the marquee event.

Amid the announcement of the draft schedule and then the fixtures this week by Apex Cricket Council, there had been reports that PCB are still waiting for their government’s approval so that they can travel to India for the tournament. Following all these a recent development has come in which Pakistan is set to send a security delegation to India so that they can inspect the venues which have been decided for the ODI World Cup 2023.

An official source in the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry told that the government, which includes the foreign as well as interior ministries will be deciding when to send the security delegation to India once the new chairman of the PCB was elected after the Eid holidays. The delegations will be visiting the venues of Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad, which is eventually the venue for the high-voltage encounter between India and Pakistan on October 15.

“The security delegation will go with representation from the PCB to inspect the venues where Pakistan will play and also the security and other arrangements made for them in the World Cup,” the source said.

It is also be kept in mind that it is something which is standard operating procedure whenever any Pakistan team travel to India. The source also added that the delegation will communicate with the officials and inspect that the security as well as other arrangements are safe and if the delegation feels it would be better for Pakistan to play at some other venue instead of a designated one, it will mention that in its report.

“The delegation will interact with the officials there and discuss and inspect with them the security and other arrangements for our players, officials, fans, and media, who will go for the tournament,” he said.

It is also to be kept in mind that India were scheduled to play Pakistan at Dharamshala in the 2016 T20 World Cup but the delegation panel at that time did not feel the arrangements were up to mark and hence the venue was shifted to Eden Gardens for the marquee clash.