Wasim Akram fumes at PCB for talks over 2023 World Cup schedule, asks them to ‘move on’

Former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board for the talks over the 2023 World Cup schedule in India. Notably, the most anticipated game of the tournament between India and Pakistan is scheduled to be played at the World’s largest cricket stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15th.

Before the World Cup schedule was finalized by the Apex Cricket Council, PCB did not want to play India in Ahmedabad and Afghanistan on a spin-friendly track in Chennai and also wanted to avoid facing Australia in Bengaluru. However, there hasn’t been any change in the schedule that was first drafted by the Indian Cricket Board. Now, it was confirmed that Pakistan will face India in Ahmedabad on October 15 and take on Australia (October 20) in Bengaluru and Afghanistan (October 23) in Chennai.

However, PCB still didn’t confirm its team’s participation in the marquee event and said that it will be subject to government clearance. “Our participation in the World Cup and us playing in Ahmedabad on October 15 or in Mumbai if we qualify for semi-finals will all be dependent on government clearance,” said a PCB official.

I’m all for ego: Wasim Akram

Reacting to the noise, Wasim Akram said that the Pakistani players won’t have any problem with the venue where they are playing. The former cricketer believes that the players will follow the schedule rather than pay attention to the ‘unnecessary’ talk.

“There’s no issue at all. You have to play wherever the match is, end of discussion. This is unnecessary. Ask the Pakistan players, they don’t care whether it’s Ahmedabad or anywhere else. They will play according to the schedule,” Akram was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

“I’m all for ego. If you have an understanding of the situation then speak on the matter, by all means, but also learn to move on. There is no point in saying ‘we will do this if that doesn’t happen’. Try to judge whether you can back your claims and only then make those claims. We are all patriotic but at the end of the day, this is just a game,” he further added.