ICC officials in Pakistan to resolve World Cup issues
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Senior International Cricket Council (ICC) officials have visited to Pakistan to resolve the political uncertainty surrounding the nation's participation in this year's 50-over World Cup in India.
The deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan over the past ten years have made bilateral cricket a victim, and the neighbors now only play one other in multi-team tournaments at neutral locations.
India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in September and their request that the entire competition be hosted in a neutral nation has caused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to respond tit-for-tat.
Its chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters this month there was a "very real possibility" of Pakistan boycotting the World Cup in India should PCB's proposal to stage at least some Asia Cup matches on home soil not be accepted.
The PCB said in a statement ICC Chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice would arrive in Lahore on Tuesday to meet Sethi and others cricket officials during their two-day visit.
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"That's something that's obviously ongoing at the moment," ICC General Manager Wasim Khan told a virtual press conference on Monday when asked about Pakistan's participation in the World Cup.
"Geoff Allardice, our CEO, and Greg are in Pakistan at the moment discussing a number of areas with the PCB hierarchy.
"But that's certainly up to the two countries and the hierarchy within the ICC to discuss them and come to some conclusions," added former PCB CEO Khan.
Indian board secretary Jay Shah heads the Asian Cricket Council, which is likely to reveal the Asia Cup dates and venue this week.
Dates and venues for the World Cup, to be played in October-November, will be announced after the World Test Championship (WTC) final in London from June 7.
