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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed Pakistan women's team won't travel to India for the ICC Women's ODI World Cup, set to be held later this year.
Naqvi confirmed that Pakistan will play its matches at a neutral venue following the acceptance of the hybrid model agreement earlier this year. The PCB chairman confirmed that, as India is the host, they will decide on the neutral venue, and the Pakistan women's team will travel to that location to play their matches. "Everything will happen according to the agreement. India will decide where the match will happen because they are the hosts. Wherever they decide, our team will go and play there. But the Pakistan team won't travel to India. Since there is an agreement, it has to be adhered to," Naqvi told reporters at LCCA Ground after the Pakistan vs Bangladesh ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier match. Due to strained political relations between the two nations, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, when they participated in the Asia Cup. The two arch-rivals last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, which consisted of white-ball matches. After that, India and Pakistan have primarily faced each other in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cups. In February, Pakistan hosted the Champions Trophy, but India refused to cross the border due to the geopolitical situation between the two countries. As a result, the International Cricket Council (ICC) finally resolved the issue of hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025, by deciding that the event will be played in Pakistan, along with another neutral venue. Additionally, it was confirmed that the hybrid model will be adopted for all ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle, which will be held in India or Pakistan. Pakistan's women's team booked its berth in the marquee event by staying unbeaten in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup Qualifiers. Pakistan hosted the qualifiers and won all five matches, thereby securing a spot in the World Cup. Bangladesh became the second team to qualify for the tournament, ending the hopes of Ireland, Scotland, the West Indies, and Thailand of featuring in the tournament. India (hosts), England, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka had already qualified for the tournament, which will run from September 26 to November 2. (ANI)
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