WILL PAKISTAN PLAY IN WORLD CUP 2023?

DETAILS ABOUT THE MEETING BETWEEN PCB AND ICC OFFICIALS:

The top officials of the International Cricket Council traveled all the way to Pakistan for some important discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board – The ICC chairman, Greg Barclay, and the Chief Executive, Geoff Allardiace, had meetings with the top officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board on some important points related to Pakistan cricket.

As per the media reports, the top officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council had a detailed meeting and PCB officials shared all of their relevant concerns with the ICC officials.

• The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss the financial model revealed by the ICC which Najam Sethi, the chairman of PCB already rejected.

• The matter of the Pakistan Team related to their visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 later this year, was another important point of discussion between both top officials.

CHANGES IN ICC’S FINANCIAL MODEL:

Pakistan Cricket Board already recorded their protest on the newly proposed ICC financial model and once again they have raised concerns on that proposed financial model as they demanded a much bigger share in the ICC’s financial model for the 2024 – 27 cycle.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi already raised concerns about this model and he also demanded an explanation from the International Cricket Council, that how will this model work out.

‘’ We are not happy with the situation as it stands. When the board is expected to approve the financial model unless there are details provided to us, we are not going to approve this financial model ‘’, Sethi warned ICC.

As per the proposed model, India will claim 38.5%, England and Australia with 6.89% and 6.25% respectively from the ICC’s projected earnings – Pakistan will only get 5.75% from the projected earnings and PCB is not ready to approve this model.

‘’ No doubt, India should get more from the financial model but still how is this table developed ‘’, he concluded.

• Even though Pakistan Cricket Board accepts that India should get more from the ICC earnings but still the share given to Pakistan isn’t enough as they are also a very important stakeholder and Pakistan should also get a bigger share from the proposed 2024 – 27 model of the ICC.

PAKISTAN’S TOUR TO INDIA:

Another important point of discussion as reported will be the details about the Pakistan team playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 later this year in India, which Najam Sethi has already warned Indian Cricket Board that if they will not let the Asia Cup 2023 take place in Pakistan then Pakistan team will not travel to play the World Cup as well.

The top officials of the International Cricket Council are here to discuss that matter with Pakistan which Pakistan Cricket Board has given the statement that they have no objection to touring India for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, subject to the government allowance for their participation.

As per the reports, ICC wanted a guarantee from Pakistan Cricket Board that they will visit India for the World Cup but another important point of discussion between the top officials was that if the government of Pakistan doesn’t allow the team to travel to India, PCB wants to implement the same model that they have given to BCCI for the Asia Cup 2023.

As we all know, there is still a deadlock between PCB and BCCI for the venue of the 2023 Asia Cup and if India doesn’t accept the hybrid model of Pakistan, this can also affect the 2023 ODI World Cup as well as the PCB chairman has made it clear that they will not tour India if Indian team doesn’t play in Pakistan – The top officials of the ICC are concerned about the stance of the Pakistan Cricket Board as they don’t want PCB to demand hybrid model from ICC for the 2023 ODI World Cup so their visit to Pakistan is to seek some assurances.

As reported by the PTI, the top officials have come to Lahore as they don’t want this Asia Cup war to affect the World Cup, they want a guarantee from PCB that they will not push ICC to implement the hybrid model for the 2023 ICC World Cup, Indian Media reported.

All the above discussion will be sorted out if BCCI accepts Pakistan’s hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2023, things might end quite well for all stakeholders – if ICC demands an agreement from PCB related to their tour to India, PCB can also demand a written guarantee from the ICC top officials that if they will tour India for the 2023 ICC World Cup, ICC should make sure that Indian Cricket Team will also return the favor to play the ICC 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.