ISLAMABAD: PM Shehbaz Sharif has formed a high-profile committee led by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to determine whether Pakistan should send its national cricket team to participate in the ICC ODI World Cup in India, scheduled to commence in October.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the participation of the Pakistan team in the prestigious event is contingent upon government clearance, given the tense relations between the two countries.PCB wrote last week to PM Sharif, who is also the patron-in-chief of the cricket board, seeking his guidance on whether the national squad should travel to India. In response, the PM formed a 14-member panel with the task of providing recommendations on the matter, which has become more complex due to India’s refusal to play Asia Cup matches in Pakistan.Based on the panel’s recommendations, the PM will make the final decision regarding the country’s participation in the World Cup. The committee includes the foreign minister, several other ministers, heads of security and intelligence agencies, and representatives from political parties in the coalition government.Additionally, the letter addressed directly to the PM on June 27 requested advice on the venues for the team’s scheduled matches and enquired if the government wanted to send a security delegation to India.PCB’s chief operating officer Salman Naseer asked the government to evaluate the expected security arrangements at the five venues offered to Pakistan for their World Cup matches.According to the ICC’s tournament schedule, Pakistan’s matches are scheduled to take place in Hyderabad (against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka), Ahmedabad (against Australia and New Zealand), Bengaluru (against Bangladesh and England), and Chennai (against Afghanistan and South Africa). The highly anticipated game between India and Pakistan will be held at the world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15.
