It's all very hush-hush for now but it appears that the Pakistan cricket team will be playing arch-rival India in Ahmedabad during the ICC 2023 World Cup later this year. According to THE WEEK sources, the Pakistan government is likely to give a 'go ahead' to the two teams meeting in Ahmedabad on October 15, despite the former’s objections initially. They have been citing security concerns. The ICC is set to announce the world cup 2023 schedule in Mumbai on Tuesday.
This development comes even as Pakistan Cricket Board stood firm on its stand that it would go by whatever decision the Pakistan Government takes. Interestingly, PCB has just seen a change of guard with Zaka Ashraf backed by the Pakistan People’s Party and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif replacing Najam Sethi. Reportedly, the word within ICC is that Pakistan has “no problems” with playing in Ahmedabad.
According to sources, Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, which is officially the largest cricket stadium in India as per number of seats, has got the go ahead from the Pakistani side just a day before ICC’s event to announce the world cup schedule in Mumbai. The 50-over event is set to be hosted by India in October-November.
A host of VVIPs and celebrities from either side are expected to attend this marquee match. The last time the world cup was held in India in 2011, the arch-rivals took on each other in Mohali with the then Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Gilani respectively, watching the match together.
