The diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan are probably at an all-time low these days. Hence, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday (June 24) asked the ICC to get written assurances from the BCCI that its team would face no issues obtaining visas to take part in the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup, due to be held in India.
“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.
News agency PTI reported quoting a senior official that 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 apex body would decide at its next board meeting whether the next World T20 Cup would be hosted by Australia or India.
There are media reports claiming that the T20 World Cup won’t go ahead as planned in October-November down under due to travel restrictions in place in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PCB CEO also thinks the same as 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.”
“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 further added.
Wasim Khan confirmed that Pakistan would go to India for the ICC events after getting complete assurance about the security and safety of its players and officials.
However, he pointed out that in recent times many Pakistan sports squads were not given approval by the Indian government to play in their country.
“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,” the PCB official said.
When asked about cricketing ties with India, Khan was very clear that there was no possibility of bilateral series with the arch-rivals in the immediate future.
“We have a good relationship with the BCCI but we know realistically a bilateral series is not possible in the foreseeable future,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
