The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) demanded a written assurance from BCCI. PCB put this demand in front of ICC, PCB asked for assurance that the Pakistani cricket team would face no obstacles in getting visas to play T20 World Cup in 2021 and the 2023 ODI World Cup that is scheduled in India.
PCB chief Wasim Khan said, “We are also looking at the participants’ ICC World Cups are to be hosted in India in 2021 and 2023 and we have already asked the ICC to give us written assurances from BCCI that we will not face any problems getting visas and clearance to play in India.” Wasim Khan told this in an interview on a YouTube channel.
Some senior officials of the PCB have demanded ICC to direct the BCCI that they should coordinate with the Indian Government and get assurance in the next few months.
In the next meet of ICC executive board decision would be taken om whether the next T20 World Cup would be held in India or Australia.
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Wasim further said, “The big question now is when the World T20 is held in 2021 will it be hosted by Australia or India as India has the hosting rights for the already scheduled T20 World Cup in 2021.”
As per Khan, the ICC is planning to schedule world cup in October- November period of 2021 or 2022.
Khan said that Pakistani team will go to India for the ICC events only after PCB got full safety and security assurance of their players and officials.
This matter comes out as in recent times many, Pakistani players of different sports were not given permission by the Indian government to participate and play in India. After mentioning this fact Khan said “That is why we have asked for the advance assurances. But eventually, it is an ICC event and it is their responsibility to ensure we as a full member and signatory of the participants’ agreement go and play in these ICC events.”
Wasim Khan said that seeing the current strained relations between India and Pakistan, it is unlikely that both Indian and Pakistani team play bilateral cricket series in the future.
When Wasim was asked about the stance of PCB on the decision of BCCI chief Saurav Ganguly, to stand for the ICC Chairmanship after the sitting Chairman Sashank Manohar steps down next month, Khan answered that so far, no candidate including Saurav Ganguly or Colin Greaves of England had made their intentions clear on the matter. He said, “We are getting mixed signals and we don’t know if Ganguly will decide to stand for the ICC post.”
He further pointed out that the name of PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani has also been mentioned as a strong candidate to take over next but Ehsan recently told media that he is committed to Pakistan cricket for next three years.