India Rejects “Special Treatment” for Pakistan Amid World Cup Security Assurances
In a bold stance, India has unequivocally declined to offer any preferential treatment to Pakistan, following Pakistan’s request for security assurances for its cricket team during their anticipated visit to the rival nation for the upcoming World Cup this year.
No Exceptional Privileges for Pakistan
The Ministry of External Affairs, represented by its official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, has made it abundantly clear that there will be no preferential treatment accorded to the Pakistan cricket team.
“Every team is of equal importance to us, and this includes the Pakistani team. While we will ensure comprehensive security coverage whenever and wherever needed, no team will receive special treatment,” emphasized the official.
Green Signal for Pakistan’s Participation
Recently, the Islamabad government gave the green signal for its national cricket team to partake in the World Cup scheduled to take place in India during October and November this year.
Citing its commitment to keeping sports and politics distinct, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan stated in a press release, “Pakistan consistently upholds the belief that the realm of sports should remain untainted by political considerations. Consequently, the decision has been made to dispatch our Cricket Team to India for their engagement in the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.”
Security Apprehensions Loom
Despite the affirmation of participation, the foreign ministry of Pakistan did express reservations concerning the security arrangements for its national team while in India.
Tournament Schedule and Fixtures
The inaugural match for Pakistan in the World Cup is scheduled for October 6 against the Netherlands. The encounter will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Here is Pakistan’s schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023:
October 6 — vs Netherlands in Hyderabad
October 12 — vs Sri Lanka in Hyderabad
October 15 — vs India in Ahmedabad
October 20 — vs Australia in Bengaluru
October 23 — vs Afghanistan in Chennai
October 27 — vs South Africa in Chennai
October 31 — vs Bangladesh in Kolkata
November 4 — vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)
November 12 — vs England in Kolkata
Day matches are slated to commence at 10:00am according to Pakistan Standard Time (PST). Alternatively, day-night fixtures will commence at 01:30pm (PST).
Should Pakistan successfully secure a spot in the semi-finals, they will vie in Kolkata for a place in the finals.
Conversely, if India progresses to the semi-finals, their fixture location will be Mumbai, unless their opponent is Pakistan. In such a case, the clash between the arch-rivals will transpire in Kolkata.
Tournament Format and Semifinal Qualification
The Cricket World Cup will adhere to a round-robin format, wherein all participating teams will compete against each other, resulting in a total of 45 league matches.
The top four teams emerging from this league stage will gain entry to the semifinals. These crucial matches are scheduled for November 15 in Mumbai and November 16 in Kolkata. Furthermore, both the semi-finals and the final match will be allocated reserve days to accommodate any unforeseen circumstances.
