PCB Seeks Visa Assurance From BCCI For Pakistan’s Participation In India-Hosted ICC Events

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the ICC to get written assurances from the BCCI that its team would face no problems getting visas to play in the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 50 over World Cup in India. The bilateral relation between the two countries is at an all-time low at the moment due to Pakistan’s failure to stop cross-border terrorism.

Consequently, the BCCI has also suspended all the cricketing ties with Pakistan.The arch-rivals have not played a full bilateral Test series since 2007 when Pakistan visited India for three Tests and five One-Day Internationals. They played a short series of three ODIs and two T20s in India in December 2012, but otherwise, both have faced each other only in the ICC events or the Asia Cup.

And given the current relation between the two nations, the PCB has asked the governing body of the game to get the assurance from the BCCI in written. In February last year, two Pakistanis were denied visas to compete in New Delhi in a shooting event.

“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 on the Youtube Cricket Baaz Channel.

According to a senior official, the PCB has asked ICC to tell the BCCI to get the assurances from their government in the next few months. 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.

Australia are scheduled to held this year’s T20 World Cup while India have the hosting rights of the next edition in 2021. However, the chances of the tournament taking place this year is looking bleak at the moment due to the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, Khan said it was unlikely the World T20 could be held this year in Australia.

“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.

He further said that Pakistan would go to India for the ICC events after it got complete assurance about the security and safety of its players and officials. He also pointed out 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 participants agreement go and play in these ICC events,” he said.

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