'Pakistan Wouldn't Travel To India If..': Minister Sets ODI World Cup Participation Criteria

Pakistan's Sports Minister has set clear ODI World Cup criteria for his team, giving new twist to the Asia Cup venue saga.

For months, the debate over the venues Asia Cup and ODI World Cup has had the entire cricketing fraternity engulfed. After the hybrid format was agreed upon between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council, a new twist has been brought to the saga with the Sports Minister of Pakistan suggesting that Babar Azam-led side would not travel to India for the World Cup if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) insists on playing Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

"My personal opinion, since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) comes under my ministry, is that if India demands to play their Asia Cup games at a neutral venue, we would also demand the same for our World Cup games in India," the Sports Minister Ehsaan Mazari told Indian Express. The Sports Minister's statement confirmed that Pakistan wouldn't travel to India if the BCCI plans to play Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

The statement from Mazari came just a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a committee over the nation's participation in the World Cup, to be held in India this year.

"The committee will be headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and I am among the 11 ministers who are part of it. We will discuss the issue and give our recommendations to the PM, who is also the patron-in-chief of PCB. The PM will take the final decision," Mazari said on the committee.

The minister also targeted the BCCI saying India's reluctance to play cricket in Pakistan baffles him.