[ad_1]
Former Pakistani footballer and 1992 World Cup winner Wasim Akram believes there is no debate when it comes to whether Pakistan will actually play India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, according to the 2023 World Cup schedule announced on Tuesday.
“There’s no problem with that. Pakistan will play wherever they are mandated to play. Simple. This unnecessary pressure of ‘we won’t play in Ahmedabad’ … you ask Pakistani players, they don’t care where their schedule comes from,” Akram told reporters.
“I’m all for ego. If you have an ego and understand what’s going wrong, speak up. But then again, follow through. Always plan for it, and always think if we can do it? Can we finish what we set out to do? If we can’t “Don’t do this. It ends up being a cause for laughter. We are all patriots for our country. They will be for their country. No doubt about it. But at the end of the day, it’s just a game. Governments will talk to each other, this It’s their problem.”
Earlier last month, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi told the Indian Express: ‘When I heard the Pakistan match was going to be played in Ahmedabad, I smiled and said to myself – ‘This is one way to make sure we don’t come to India’. I mean if you say Chennai or Kolkata, it might make sense.”
Among the PCB’s requests after the release of the draft schedule was the exchange of venue for the Australia-Afghanistan match from Chennai and Bangalore – which was rejected – and the unwillingness to play it at the Wankidi Stadium in Mumbai, due to security issues. The latter was considered, and while none of the Pakistan League stage matches will be played in Mumbai, the semi-finals scheduled in the city will be moved to Eden Gardens, Kolkata if Pakistan qualifies themselves.
[ad_2]
