PCB wants assurances from BCCI to play 2 World Cups in India

New Delhi, June 25: In order to obtain confirmation from India, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to get "written assurances" from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). PCB CEO Wasim Khan stated that his team wants visas to play in the T20 World Cup 2021 and the World Cup 2023 in India without any uncertainties.

 

 

"We are also looking at the fact that the 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," PCB CEO Wasim Khan said in an interview.

 

The PCB has requested ICC to tell the BCCI to get the assurances from their government in the next few months, a senior official was quoted as saying. The official also confirmed that the ICC executive board would decide at its next meet whether the next World T20 Cup would be hosted by Australia or India. Khan said it was unlikely the World T20 could be held this year in Australia.

 

Throwing light in the World Cup 2020 taking place this year, he 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 World T20 Cup in 2021," he said. Later on, he said that the ICC members believe World Cup T20 should be conducted in the October-November period in the year 2021 or 2022.

 

"The way things are, the gap available in 2022 will be used to accommodate the 2020 World T20 if it is not held this year." He firmly that the Pakistan players will go to India for the ICC tournaments only if it gets complete assurance about the security and safety of its players and officials. He highlighted that in recent times many Pakistan sports squads were not given clearance by the Indian government to play in India.

 

"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 participant's agreement go and play in these ICC events." Making it clear due to the current tense relations between Pakistan and India, he stated there were virtually no chances of bilateral cricket resuming soon. "We have a good relationship with the BCCI but we know realistically a bilateral series is not possible in the foreseeable future."

 

Khan was also asked what would be PCB’s stance if BCCI chief Saurav Ganguly decided to stand for the post of ICC Chairman when the sitting Chairman Sashank Manohar steps down next month. He said so far no candidate including Ganguly or England’s Colin Greaves had made their position clear. “We are getting mixed signals and we don’t know if Ganguly will decide to stand for the ICC post,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani’s name has also been mentioned as a strong candidate to replace Manohar but he recently in a media interaction made it clear that he was committed to Pakistan cricket for the next three years.