ICC World Cup 2023: Possible scenarios if Pakistan Cricket Team boycott showpiece event in India

Add as a preferred source on Google

The twist and turns regarding Pakistan's stance to participate in the upcoming World Cup can challenge any Bollywood movie.

The way the Pakistan Cricket Board have maintained the thrill with their freckle-minded statements is making this ongoing saga a ludicrous one.

As per the Pakistan government's role, they issued their football team permission to take part in the ongoing SAFF tournament in the wee hours, and may follow the same route when it comes to their cricket team.

With the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 schedule announced on Tuesday (June 27), Pakistan are expected to participate in the tournament. But new reports from the neighbouring country suggest fresh drama can still unfold. According to a PCB official, Pakistan will only travel to India if their government issues NOC, but that's not a surity.

The Pakistan board wished not to play in any of the North Indian cities, but they are scheduled to play against India in Ahmedabad. If they qualify for the semifinals, they may have to play in Mumbai. But the PCB official added it can only happen if their government grants clearance.

"Our participation in the World Cup and us playing in Ahmedabad on October 15 or in Mumbai if we qualify for semi-finals will all be dependent on government clearance," a PCB official said after the schedule announcement on Tuesday.

"We have already informed the ICC that our participation in the tournament or any issues over venues is linked to firstly the PCB getting clearance from the government to travel to India," the official added.

What will happen if Pakistan refuses to play in Mumbai or Ahmedabad?

If Pakistan don't wish to play in the aforementioned venues, India may get a walkover in the group stage match. And if they qualify for the Semifinal and then decide to not play in Mumbai if slotted there, the opposition will make it to the Final without a contest.

Has any team got walkovers in Cricket World Cup before?

Yes, in the 1996 ODI World Cup, West Indies and Australia refused to play in Sri Lanka. Both matches were scheduled in Colombo, but due to the non-participation of their opponents, Sri Lanka got walkovers in both those matches.

Sri Lanka eventually met Australia in the Final in Lahore and beat the Aussies by 7 wickets to lift their solitary ODI World Cup title.

What will happen if Pakistan is not granted NOC by their government?

In this case, Pakistan won't be participating at all. The World Cup will then effectively become a nine-team affair, or we may see ICC allow another team to complete the full quota of ten teams.

If they opt to go with nine teams, we may see all teams get two points from their Pakistan matches and by default, Babar Azam and his troops will finish at the bottom without even playing a ball.

The ICC will replace Pakistan with the third top team from the ongoing ICC World Cup qualifiers should the Men In Green decide to pull out. "If Pakistan decides against coming to India for the World Cup, then it will be replaced by the third-top team from the WC qualifiers," an ICC official was quoted by Times Now as saying.