New Delhi : Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf has spouted venom against India. After a long time, the Pakistan cricket team has come to India to participate in the World Cup. The arrival of the Pakistan team is triggering a wave of joy among the cricket fans of both countries. The Pakistani players have received a warm welcome in India.
Meanwhile, a video has been circulating on social media in which Ashraf calls India an ‘enemy country’. While talking about the new contracts given to the players by the PCB, Ashraf used such words about India. Such statements by this official of the Pakistan Cricket Board are met with strong disapproval in India.
In this video, Ashraf says, ‘We have given these contracts to our players with a lot of love and affection. In the history of Pakistan, the players have never received so much money. My aim is to increase the enthusiasm of our players who have gone abroad. They have participated in a competition in an enemy country.”
The Pakistan team will play a practice match on Friday ahead of the World Cup. The team will face New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. For security reasons, fans will not be allowed entry to this match. Pakistan’s second match will be against Australia on October 3 at the same ground. In the World Cup, Pakistan will also play both its two opening matches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan will play its first two matches in the 2023 World Cup at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. First, the country will take on the Netherlands on October 6. This will be followed by a match against Sri Lanka in October. The Pakistan team will also play matches in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata.
Earlier, Zaka Ashraf had threatened not to send his team to India for the World Cup. However, later, the Pakistan Cricket Board had to relent and send his team to India. Ashraf had also raised hurdles during the Asia Cup. India had clearly refused to visit Pakistan for the tournament.
The BCCI had demanded that the Asian Cup be played at a neutral venue, and this was done. For this reason, only four matches of the Asia Cup were played in Pakistan, while nine matches were organised in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan team for the World Cup
Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafiq, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Aga, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Wasim.
