We shouldn’t be making excuses about playing against Afghanan in Chennai, or India in Ahmedabad: Kamran Akmal on Pakan’s 2023 World Cup schedule

Former Pakan keeper batter Kamran believes there should be no discussion around the conditions and venues for Pakan’s 2023 World Cup campaign.
“Conditions, venues shouldn’t be a concern for teams anymore. These things shouldn’t happen in international cricket. Today, India beat Australia, South Africa, New Zealand on their own turf. We shouldn’t be making excuses like why we are playing against Afghanan in Chennai, or India in Ahmedabad. Your focus should be on cricket only,” Akmal said during an interview with paktv.tv.

“It’s my request to board members, stop doing making such low-standard requests. The level of international cricket has advanced now. Players should be proud of their achievements, they should know what the fans and the board expect from them. You shouldn’t say such things and instead pull down the level of your cricket,” he further added.

Among PCB’s request following the draft schedule being released were a venue swap for the Australia and Afghanan game from Chennai and Bangalore – which was denied – and unwillingness to play at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, citing security issues. The latter was considered and while none of Pakan’s league stage games will be played in Mumbai, the semifinal scheduled in the city will be moved to Eden Gardens, Kolkata if Pakan qualify for the same.
1992 World Cup winner with Pakan, Wasim Akram also spoke on the same lines. “There’s no issue with it. Pakan will play wherever they are assigned to play. Simple. This unnecessary stress of ‘we won’t play in Ahmedabad’…you ask Pakani players, they don’t care wherever their schedule comes,” Akram told reporters.

Earlier last month, Pakan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi had told The Indian Express, “When I heard that the Pakan match was to be in Ahmedabad, I smiled and said to myself – ‘this is one way to make sure we don’t come to India’. I mean if you’d said Chennai or Kolkata, it might have made sense.”