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After days of uncertainty, even as the International Cricket Council (ICC) finally found an answer to the Dharamsala question by shifting the high-voltage India-Pakistan match to Kolkata, Pakistan’s participation in the World T20 still hangs in balance.
Hours after ICC CEO Dave Richardson declared Kolkata’s Eden Gardens as the venue for the March 19 game, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s executive committee chairman Najam Sethi told Express from Lahore that they will only be sending the teams for the World T20 if the Indian government issues a formal statement assuring full security to the visitors. “This is a Pakistan-specific issue and the Indian government should ensure full security for the Pakistan players, and there should be a formal announcement,” Sethi said. While the Pakistan teams were scheduled to reach Kolkata on Wednesday evening, there is clear uncertainty over their arrival. “We are happy that the ICC and the BCCI have agreed to shift the match from Dharamsala. But there seem to be an anti-Pakistan vibe going on in India and in such a situation, our players’ security could be at threat. So, we will wait for a written assurance from the Indian government,” the senior administrator said.
Sethi also claimed that their demand was ‘just’ given the current political situation in both the countries. “When we wanted to host India in UAE, where there is no security issue, the Indian government had raised question marks over security. Now, we have a similar opinion,” he said. As per a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both the boards in 2014, Pakistan invited India for a home series, which had to be called off after the Indian government refused to give clearance.
Even as PCB waits for an official assurance from India, the ICC CEO made it clear that they had no issues with the security measurement taken by the BCCI. “The ICC has not lost faith in India. There are huge logistics challenges. There are 59 matches in total, across eight venues. And for the first time, women’s matches are also being held in the men’s event,” he said, adding that India is a complicated country and BCCI faces a lot of challenge.
While the ICC will not take any action against the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association for their failure, Richardson put the ball on PCB’s court. “We have conveyed to the PCB that we have done everything we could. If they don’t come even now, then we’ll be forced consider legalities. BCCI is fulfilling its obligations as regards to conducting the World T20 successfully,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the board did not leave any stone unturned to conduct the match at Dharamsala but the final decision was in the hands of the ICC. “Himachal government has embarrassed the country. I don’t know how the fans will react to the situation,” Thakur said.
HPCA Under scanner
Dharamsala: After cancellation of match due to inadequate security, it’s time to wait and see if Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association is penalised by ICC. Even if it escapes sanction on the security front, because it was Pakistan who raised objections and not the world body’s officials, organisational issues may not have pleased concerned authorities. Highly placed sources said the security team from Pakistan found local officials uncooperative, although they did not find faults with HPCA. It’s ICC that has found loopholes in certain arrangements made by HPCA. Overall management and media handling are among the issues.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cricket/news/Sans-Assurance-Pakistan-Not-to-Leave-for-World-T20/2016/03/10/article3319089.ece1
Hours after ICC CEO Dave Richardson declared Kolkata’s Eden Gardens as the venue for the March 19 game, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s executive committee chairman Najam Sethi told Express from Lahore that they will only be sending the teams for the World T20 if the Indian government issues a formal statement assuring full security to the visitors. “This is a Pakistan-specific issue and the Indian government should ensure full security for the Pakistan players, and there should be a formal announcement,” Sethi said. While the Pakistan teams were scheduled to reach Kolkata on Wednesday evening, there is clear uncertainty over their arrival. “We are happy that the ICC and the BCCI have agreed to shift the match from Dharamsala. But there seem to be an anti-Pakistan vibe going on in India and in such a situation, our players’ security could be at threat. So, we will wait for a written assurance from the Indian government,” the senior administrator said.
Sethi also claimed that their demand was ‘just’ given the current political situation in both the countries. “When we wanted to host India in UAE, where there is no security issue, the Indian government had raised question marks over security. Now, we have a similar opinion,” he said. As per a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both the boards in 2014, Pakistan invited India for a home series, which had to be called off after the Indian government refused to give clearance.
Even as PCB waits for an official assurance from India, the ICC CEO made it clear that they had no issues with the security measurement taken by the BCCI. “The ICC has not lost faith in India. There are huge logistics challenges. There are 59 matches in total, across eight venues. And for the first time, women’s matches are also being held in the men’s event,” he said, adding that India is a complicated country and BCCI faces a lot of challenge.
While the ICC will not take any action against the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association for their failure, Richardson put the ball on PCB’s court. “We have conveyed to the PCB that we have done everything we could. If they don’t come even now, then we’ll be forced consider legalities. BCCI is fulfilling its obligations as regards to conducting the World T20 successfully,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the board did not leave any stone unturned to conduct the match at Dharamsala but the final decision was in the hands of the ICC. “Himachal government has embarrassed the country. I don’t know how the fans will react to the situation,” Thakur said.
HPCA Under scanner
Dharamsala: After cancellation of match due to inadequate security, it’s time to wait and see if Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association is penalised by ICC. Even if it escapes sanction on the security front, because it was Pakistan who raised objections and not the world body’s officials, organisational issues may not have pleased concerned authorities. Highly placed sources said the security team from Pakistan found local officials uncooperative, although they did not find faults with HPCA. It’s ICC that has found loopholes in certain arrangements made by HPCA. Overall management and media handling are among the issues.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cricket/news/Sans-Assurance-Pakistan-Not-to-Leave-for-World-T20/2016/03/10/article3319089.ece1
