PCB Takes U-Turn On Comments Over Snubbing T20 World Cup In India

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan has taken a u-turn on his comment regarding his country’s participation in the 2021 T20 World Cup. With India more than likely to not travel to Pakistan if the latter host the Asia Cup, Wasim Khan had said that Pakistan too would refuse to tour India for the T20 World Cup next year.

As of now, Pakistan have the hosting rights for this year’s Asia Cup which is set to be held in September. However, India are unlikely to tour Pakistan thanks to the poor political relationship between the two nations. Both the countries have not played a bilateral series since the 2012-13 season and only play against each other in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.

Pakistan are desperate to host the Asia Cup which will further boost their chances of hosting more teams. However, India’s stance could affect Pakistan’s chances of hosting the competition and thus Wasim Khan said that if the BCCI do not send the team for the Asia Cup this year, Pakistan would also refuse to tour India next year for the T20 World Cup.

“We are currently considering two venues to host the Asia Cup. If India doesn’t come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, we would also refuse participation in the 2021 T20 World Cup there,” Wasim Khan had told reporters on Friday.

U-turn:

With Wasim Khan’s comments over the T20 World Cup all over the internet now, the PCB CEO has taken a u-turn, saying that he never said that. Wasim Khan emphatically denied reports published in Pakistani media that PCB will not send team for the T20 World Cup in India in 2021.

“Not at all. We never stated at any stage that Pakistan would not be touring India. The context of the conversation was based around Asia Cup which we have been awarded and we are due to host in September this year,” the PCB CEO said.

“What I said was that we need to be convinced about security of our players for the 2021 T20 World Cup in India. That is, if we are granted visas. But never did I say that we would be pulling out of the T20 World Cup.

“T20 World Cup is an ICC tournament and it will be factually incorrect to state that we will pull out of a World Cup if India didn’t come to play Asia Cup,” Khan clarified.

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