Pakistan's World T20 matches may be staged at neutral venue: PCB

Published February 9, 2016
PCB chief Shaharyar Khan said threats to Pakistani players in India may force the ICC to take drastic steps.
PCB chief Shaharyar Khan said threats to Pakistani players in India may force the ICC to take drastic steps.

LAHORE: Pakistan's cricket chief Shaharyar Khan on Monday said a proposal was given to play their World Twenty20 matches on neutral venues next month in the event that the government does not allow the team to tour India.

India host the ICC World Twenty20 from March 8 to April 3 but Pakistan's participation is subject to government clearance as there are specific threats, Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, said.

“We have told the ICC (International Cricket Council) now and before as well, the decision (to tour India) is with the government and it will consider if there is a specific Pakistan oriented security threat,” Khan told media.

Khan said a proposal was given during the ICC Board meeting in Dubai last week.

“Someone in the ICC meeting said that if there are doubts over extremists (at Pakistan matches) we are ready to play at neutral venues in case our government does not give the permission to tour India,” said Khan.

Neighbours Pakistan and India share a volatile relationship. There was a thaw recently as Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif briefly met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of a climate change meeting in Paris late last year.

That was followed by a surprise visit by Modi to Lahore to attend Sharif's birthday and a family gathering. But last month's attacks on an Indian air base in Pathankot derailed the peace process leading to the cancellation of talks between the foreign secretaries.

Khan said there have been incidents recently which suggested that there are indeed Pakistan-specific threats.

“They are not general threats, like Australia had in Bangladesh and they did not send their team for the Under-19 World Cup,” Khan said.

Australia withdrew from the January-February Junior World Cup over security fears.

“PCB couldn't hold a meeting with the BCCI officials in Mumbai (the BCCI office was the scene of protests by Shiv Sena activists in October 2015), Pakistan singer Ghulam Ali's concerts could not be staged twice over threats and before that a book launch for Khursheed Kasuri (the former Pakistani foreign secretary) was disturbed,” said Khan of the recent events in India last year.

Khan said a 500-plus Pakistan contingent featuring in the South Asian Federation (SA) Games in Guwhati was different from a cricketing event.

“There are more chances of attacks on cricketers than on swimmers and players of other games.”

“If the decision is negative then maybe the ICC will say that our matches should be held on neutral venues in Sri Lanka or United Arab Emirates.”

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...