ICC 'confident' Pakistan will travel to India for ODI World Cup

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still apprehensive about sending its team to India for the ODI World Cup but International Cricket Council (ICC) is "confident" that the Babar Azam-led team will compete in the 50-over showpiece.

The ICC on Tuesday announced the fixtures for the October 5-November 19 tournament and rejected PCB's request to not schedule their matches in Chennai and Bengaluru against specific teams.

PCB did not want to play Afghanistan on spin-friendly track in Chennai and also wanted to avoid facing Australia in Benglauru.

As part of the announcement in Mumbai, it was confirmed that Pakistan will lock horns with India in Ahmedabad on October 15 and take on Australia (October 20) and Afghanistan (October 23) at pre-decided venues.

Soon after the announcement, the PCB made it clear that its participation in the ODI World Cup will be subject to government 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," said a PCB official.

The PCB official said the government has not yet issued any NOC to the PCB to travel to India and since it was a sensitive issue, the Board can only move forward after getting clear directives from its government.

"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 said.

Pakistan have a signed participation agreement to compete and the world governing body "100% expects them to be there and has had no indications to the contrary".

"All members have to abide by the rules and the laws of their country and we respect that. But we're confident Pakistan will be in India for the men's cricket World Cup," an ICC spokesperson told PTI.

Pakistan last played in India in 2016 in the T20 World Cup.