Deadly history sparks World Cup concerns as Pakistan ‘liaising with government’ over India fixture

India will host Pakistan’s cricket workforce for the primary time in seven years within the 50-over World Cup in October, the Worldwide Cricket Council mentioned Tuesday.

The match will start with holders England taking up New Zealand on October 5 on the world’s greatest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, which can even host the ultimate.

Essentially the most-awaited conflict between rivals India and Pakistan shall be performed in the identical probably contentious venue on October 15, after the hosts kick off their marketing campaign towards Australia per week earlier.

Stream Over 50 Sports activities Dwell & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

The schedule was introduced after weeks of delay because of Pakistan’s earlier refusal to journey to India, however a compromise was reached when Pakistan agreed to host a hybrid-model Asia Cup in September.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) mentioned their workforce would require clearance from Islamabad to play.

“We’re liaising with our authorities for steering,” PCB Communications Director Sami Ul Hasan mentioned.

“This place is constant to what we had instructed the ICC a few weeks in the past after they shared with us the draft schedule and sought our suggestions,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, Ahmedabad, the house metropolis of India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is of concern to Muslim-majority Pakistan, who had earlier expressed reservations about taking part in on the 132,000-seat venue.

Ahmedabad was the centre of lethal 2002 non secular riots during which at the least 1,000 folks, largely Muslims, have been killed in sectarian violence that despatched shock waves all over the world.

In Pakistan’s earlier cricket journey to India throughout the 2016 T20 World Cup, the match was shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata over safety issues.

The 48-match match shall be performed at 10 venues throughout 46 days, with the highest 4 from the 10-team round-robin stage going by means of to the semi-finals, the ICC mentioned in an announcement 100 days earlier than the match begins.

Eight groups have already certified by means of the World Cup Tremendous League. The ultimate two spots shall be stuffed on the finish of the present qualifying match in Zimbabwe.

“It’s going to be an awesome expertise taking part in within the World Cup at house,” Indian skipper Rohit Sharma mentioned.

“India gained right here 12 years in the past, and I do know followers nationwide can’t look forward to us to take the sphere this time.”

India and Pakistan are bitter adversaries and solely play cricket towards one another in worldwide tournaments, normally at impartial venues, because of longstanding political tensions, most not too long ago throughout the T20 World Cup in Australia final 12 months.

Any match between the South Asian neighbours due to this fact turns into one of many most-watched occasions on the worldwide sporting calendar and any victory is used to advertise nationalism at house.

After they do play, cricket followers all over the world are glued to their TV screens in a multi-billion-dollar bonanza for broadcasters.

The 2019 50-over World Cup conflict between India and Pakistan drew 273 million viewers.

India and Pakistan haven’t met on both aspect’s soil in a bilateral collection since 2012.

They’ve additionally not performed a Check towards one another since 2007, as an alternative assembly solely within the shorter variations of the sport.

India and Pakistan share deep cultural and linguistic hyperlinks however their historical past has been mired in violence and bloodshed.

The 2 nuclear-armed nations have fought three wars for the reason that subcontinent’s partition in 1947.

India final gained the ODI World Cup on house soil in 2011. Since then, Australia and England have gained the title in their very own backyards in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

India will face England on October 29 in Lucknow, whereas the English will tackle Australia on November 4 at Ahmedabad in two different key fixtures.

The primary semi-final shall be on November 15 in Mumbai and the second in Kolkata the subsequent day.

There shall be reserve days for the semis and the ultimate, and all three shall be day-night matches.