Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to assure visas for the players and support staff for the T20 World Cup 2021 which is all set to be hosted by India. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be staged in October next year and the PCB does not want any hiccups leading up to the showpiece event. PCB has also sought for a December-January deadline from ICC on the visa issue.
The arch-rivals last played a bilateral series between them in 2012-13 when Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs rubber. Ever since then the two teams have met only in a major ICC tournament and have refrained from engaging in bilateral contests. Not just cricket, but Pakistani athletes’ participation in other major sporting events in India has also been a contentious issue.
With India set to host a global event in the form of T20 World Cup next year, PCB remains wary of obtaining visas for the players and support staff as early as possible.
“This is an ICC matter. We have discussed our concerns. There is a ‘Host Agreement’ that states very clearly that host nation (India in this case) will have to provide visas and accommodation for teams that are due to participate in T20 World Cup and Pakistan is one of them,” PCB CEO Waim Khan told PTI.
“We have sought assurances from the ICC that our players will receive visas and ICC is now taking this up with the BCCI because that directive and confirmation will clearly need to come from their government,” Khan added.
