"Pakistan Cricket Team Will Be Treated Like Any Other Participating Nation": Top Official

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), confirmed on Friday that the Pakistan cricket team will be welcomed the same as any other participating nation's team as the arch-rival travels in India to compete in the forthcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

Pakistan's government declared last week that the national men's senior squad will compete in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in India for the first time in its entirety from October 5 to November 19.
Due to difficult relations between the administrations of both countries throughout the years, Pakistan's participation in the World Cup was in doubt.

In view of these conditions, MEA spokeswoman Arindam Bagchi stated on Friday, "We have seen these reports regarding the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the upcoming ICC World Cup to be hosted by India." The Pakistan cricket team will be regarded the same as any other country's cricket team competing in the ICC World Cup."

The International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a statement earlier this week to announce the amended schedule for the next World Cup in India, which begins on Wednesday.

The match between India and Pakistan was initially scheduled for Sunday, October 15, in Ahmedabad, but it has been shifted a day early and will now take place at the same venue on Saturday, October 14.

As a result, England's match versus Afghanistan in Delhi will now be played on Sunday, October 15, 24 hours later.

Pakistan's match against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 10, and Australia's important match against South Africa in Lucknow has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 12 instead of Friday, October 13.

Similarly, New Zealand's game against Bangladesh, originally planned for October 14 in Chennai, has been pushed back to Friday, October 13, and will now be contested as a day-night contest.

A small modification to the fixture dates back to the first phase of the competition, with England's match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala becoming a day match with a 10:30 AM (local time) start after being set as a day-night fixture.

There are three alterations near the end of the league stage, with the double-header matches of Sunday, November 12 being moved a day earlier to Saturday, November 11 - Australia vs Pakistan in Pune (10:30 AM) and England vs Pakistan in Kolkata (02:00 PM).

Meanwhile, India's final league game against the Netherlands has been rescheduled for November 12th, a day-night match in Bengaluru.