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Bangladesh to replace Pakistan in women's World Cup
Pakistan women's cricket team will be forced to pull out of the ICC Women's World Cup starting January 31, MiD DAY has learnt
January 17, 2013
MUMBAI
Harit N Joshi
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the Mumbai Police in a joint meeting yesterday urged the International Cricket Council representatives to drop Pakistan from the World Cup.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray is adamant of not allowing the team to play in Mumbai following the rising tension at the Line of Control.
Bangladesh which wasn’t a part of the eight teams will play in place of Pakistan, MiD DAY has learnt.
An MCA official, who attended the meeting held at the BCCI headquarters yesterday, revealed that the Pakistan team has been strongly advised not to come to India.
“The BCCI and the MCA said that they cannot risk hosting Pakistan in Mumbai in the current scenario. The Mumbai Police too advised that it is best to avoid Pakistan. The ICC will now write to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to opt out of the women’s World Cup,” the source told MiD DAY.
Pakistan were scheduled to play all their three league games at the Bandra Kurla Complex ground which is close to Thackeray’s residence in Bandra East.
Suru Nayak, BCCI’s cricket operations manager, said: “We have informed the ICC about the situation here. They will take a final call on it in a day or two, as it is their tournament.”
There was talk to shift Pakistan matches to Gujarat (Ahmedabad and Rajkot), but it didn’t materialise. “It is not a possibility. It is completely out of the way,” Nayak informed.
It is learnt that a senior BCCI functionary and Indian Premier League biggie tried to convince Thackeray to allow Pakistan women’s team to play in Mumbai. But the Shiv Sena boss remained undeterred. Several BCCI and MCA officials tried their best to convince Shiv Sena leaders, but they are hell-bent on not allowing Pakistan to play in India. The Hockey India League has already sent the Pakistani players home after Shiv Sena questioned the inclusion of the players in the Mumbai Magicians side at the MHA last Sunday.
Bangladesh to replace Pakistan in women's World Cup