Pakistan may stay away from WC in India, warns Sethi

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has reportedly told Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah that his country wants to host the Asia Cup and if the tournament is moved out, Pakistan would not send its team for the Men’s ODI World Cup in India.

Sethi echoed the words of his predecessor Ramiz Raja, who had reiterated that Pakistan could boycott the 50-over World Cup in India later this year if the Asia Cup issue between the two cricket boards is not resolved.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is expected to shift the Asia Cup from Pakistan and decide on the alternate venue in March.

A well-informed source in the PCB said that during the ACC executive board meeting held in Bahrain on Saturday, Sethi made Pakistan’s stance on the Asia Cup very clear to Shah and stressed that his country “will not forgo the hosting rights of either the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy in 2025”.

“Sethi has made his stance very clear (to Shah) and he went to Bahrain after meeting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif last Tuesday. Apparently, he discussed the matter with the PM before going to Bahrain,” the source said.

“Sethi was clear that the Pakistan government is willing to give security assurances to the India team. So, there is no reason for the BCCI to not send its team to Pakistan,” the source added.