LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to get security clearance from the Punjab government to formally invite the World XI squad to visit Lahore to play three T20 matches against Pakistan next month.

On Friday, a PCB delegation comprising executive committee chairman Najam Sethi, chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and head of the security department retired Col Azam discussed in a lengthy meeting with Punjab government officials everything relating to security but they failed to decide a schedule for the World XI visit.

The PCB plans to invite the World XI in mid-September. However, a by-election for Lahore’s NA-120 seat, which fell vacant after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in a Supreme Court decision on July 28, is scheduled to be held on Sept 17.

Therefore, added security measures required for the crucial by-election may saddle security agencies with extra workload which would make it quite tough for them to provide security for the World XI visit to the provincial capital around mid-September.

As Pakistan are scheduled to leave for the UAE on Sept 21 to play a full series against Sri Lanka and the NA-120 election is already reducing the window for hosting the World XI, PCB’s original plan of hosting the foreign visitors in mid-September appears very much inapplicable.

However, sources said, both the PCB and the provincial government had agreed to find out suitable dates for the tour and a final green signal in this regard would come from Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

It may be mentioned here that the Punjab government had also shown reluctance in allowing Leisure Leagues to hold an exhibition match in Lahore last month, in which seven prominent world top footballers, including Ronaldinho and Ryan Giggs, were playing. Pakistan Army, however, hosted that match at the Fortress Stadium without any untoward incident.

According to sources, some loopholes noted in providing security for the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore on March 5 this year were also discussed in Friday’s meeting during which it was decided to incorporate remedy measures in new security arrangements.

Though the PCB will invite the World XI to visit Pakistan -- after receiving the security clearance -- but sources said time was running out and the provincial government has to take a quick decision, otherwise, the entire plan of the cricket board may be shelved.

If the World XI visit eventually materialises, it would surely help in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2017