Pak teams due in India today after security assurances

Pakistan Cricket Board gets security guarantees from ICC, India, Sethi tells Nisar

ISLAMABAD: After a solid guarantee from New Delhi, Pakistan’s men’s and women’s cricket teams have been given a go ahead to travel to India to compete in the World Twenty20.

The decision was taken during a meeting between Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Executive Committee head Najam Sethi in Islamabad on Friday.

Besides sharing with the interior minister complications involved in withdrawing from the two events, Najam Sethi also told Nisar that the PCB has received the much-awaited security assurance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and from the concerned authorities in India.

“We have got the assurance we were waiting for. The West Bengal government, Bengal Cricket Association and Indian Home Ministry have given us assurances (some in writing) that special measures will be taken for the Pakistan teams during their stay in India,” Sethi said.

Quoting Ch Nisar, Sethi said the Pakistan government has also received solid security assurances from the Indian Home Ministry. “Now we can send our teams to India to play the men’s and women’s mega cricket events.”

It is believed that former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who now heads the Cricket Association of Bengal where Pakistan are to play their opening two matches, played an instrumental role in convincing the provincial government to furnish in writing the security guarantee. “The Bengal Cricket Association and the West Bengal provincial government head Mamata Banerjee have given written security guarantees to the ICC that the team will be given every possible security cover during their stay in India, more importantly during the men’s team match against India on March 19 in city of Kolkata.”

The March 19 match was shifted to Bengal’s city of Kolkata following Pakistan’s security concerns over the original venue of Dharamsala.The PCB Chairman, Shaharyar M Khan, also told the media on Friday that the players were given the option to pull out if they felt any security threats. “All the 15 selected players however want to travel to India to figure in the event after getting all clear from the Government of Pakistan.”

“I have given them an open option. All the players are ready to travel to India as they are satisfied with the Pakistan government’s decision and have no security concerns now,” Shaharyar said.

The PCB chairman hopedthat the Indian people would give the Pakistan teams a warm welcome. “I am happy that the team is finally going to India to figure in the event. I am sure that top notched security would be in order for Pakistan’s men’s and women’s teams,” Shaharyar said.

The Pakistan men’s team were scheduled to leave for India (en-route Dubai) in the wee hours of Saturday while the women’s team would depart in the evening. The men’s team have already missed a warm-up match. They are now scheduled to play the only practice match against Sri Lanka ahead of the start of the World Cup.