BCCI hits back at PCB; Asks if it can give 'No Terror Attack Guarantee'

New Delhi, June 26: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the "written assurances" from the latter's CEO Wasim Khan. The BCCI has asked for "no terror attack guarantee from the PCB in written".

 

 

On Thursday, Khan had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to get "written assurances" from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stating 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,” he said.

 

Hitting back at the PCB, a BCCI official stated that the ICC rules clearly point out that there should be no governmental interference in the match that takes place and the same also applies for cricket boards and they should not interfere in the running of the government. The official even added that first, the PCB needs to give the guarantee for no terror attack guarantee.

 

“Can the PCB give assurance in writing that the Pakistan government would ensure that no illegal incursions into India take place from the Pakistani side or that there’s no violation of the cease-fire or that no act of terror takes place on Indian soil originating in Pakistan or that no repeat of Pulwama type incident takes place?,” said the BCCI official to a private media.

 

“The ICC mandates that there should be no interference of governments in the administration of the game and the corollary would be that a sports board doesn’t attempt to interfere with how a government functions. It’s time the PCB realises that and stops acting like an agent for an individual in the ICC who is known to work against the interest of India. All I would say is that India is a wonderful country and acts in the most balanced way,” the official added.

 

The strained relations between the two countries continue as Pakistan has failed to stop cross-border terrorism due to which the BCCI has also cut all the cricketing ties with Pakistan. Both the countries have not played a full bilateral Test series since 2007 when Pakistan visited India for three Tests and five One-Day Internationals.

 

However, they were up against each other in a short series of three ODIs and two T20s in India in December 2012. Since then, both have faced each other only in the ICC events or the Asia Cup. Amid the rising tensions at the border, the PCB has asked the apex governing body of the cricket to get the assurance from the BCCI in written.