Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hasn’t agreed to playing the ODI World Cup league game against India in Ahmedabad and that is one of the main reasons for the delayed announcement of the World Cup schedule.

BCCI, the host board, has already shared the draft schedule with the ICC, which has sent it to all participating nations for feedback.

The tournament is likely to begin on October 5 with the big-ticket clash between the arch-rivals set for October 15.

While none are willing to go on record, sources have told The Telegraph that Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs hasn’t yet cleared Ahmedabad because of security issues. The PCB also wants a guarantee on the safety of players from the ICC even if the government gives the go-ahead.

According to the tentative schedule, Pakistan will play their remaining eight matches in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Calcutta.

The PCB, however, has no objection to playing the final in Ahmedabad, if Pakistan make it.

PCB chairman Najam Sethi didn’t respond to a WhatsApp message from The Telegraph while the ICC maintained that “we don’t comment” on such issues.

“Since the tour is dependent on permission from the government, the PCB has forwarded the documents to the ministry concerned which is looking into it. Given the sensitivity of the situation, a call will be taken based on what the government has to say,” a source told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

“The PCB has been given a time-frame to study the draft schedule and is abiding by it before giving its consent. Cricketing matters regarding the World Cup will be reviewed by the Pakistan Board while anything related to security and other issues is being dealt with by the government and other agencies concerned,” the source maintained.

The PCB is learnt to have raised the issue during the visit of ICC chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice to Lahore last month.

The logjam over the India-Pakistan venue is the latest in a series of disagreements that started with a dispute on the hybrid model for the Asia Cup. The fixtures for the continental event have also not been released and a lot will depend on how the PCB responds to the draft schedule.

This is the first time that the World Cup fixtures have been delayed. The schedule for the 2019 World Cup in England was released 13 months before the opener.