ICC World T20: India-Pak game moved to Kolkata

New Delhi: Citing security concerns, the International Cricket Council on Wednesday switched the high-profile India vs Pakistan World Cup T20 match on March 19 to Kolkata. The news came after the Pakistan cricket team “delayed their travel plans to India” and raised concerns over the original venue Dharamsala.

The day’s development thus brings to an end weeks of uncertainty as the matter had threatened to snowball into a controversy. Said ICC CEO Dave Richardson here on Wednesday, “The decision to relocate the match has been made for security reasons. The concerns initially arose following alleged public comments recently reported by the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, warning of demonstrations and attempts to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the match.

“Our concerns relate both to uncertainty as to the level of those threats as well as the level of commitment to implement any security plan developed to mitigate such threats.”

There was uncertainty over the match after Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh had last week “expressed the state’s inability to provide adequate security” for the much-awaited clash, forcing Pakistan to send a three-member assessment team to the venue of Monday. The Pakistan security team were unhappy with preparations and recommending against playing in Dharamsala.

Richardson said that the “decision was not taken lightly”. “The ICC and the BCCI understand the disappointment that is likely to be felt by many over the decision to move the match. But the safety and security of the event is of paramount importance to the ICC and we have taken into consideration the concerns shared with us by our security advisers as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board.”

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan welcomed the decision, but was still non-committal on the teams’ travel schedule. Said Shaharayar in Lahore, “Both men and women teams (departure) have been deferred. I have also informed this to the government because it has asked for my opinion.

“I have told them that Kolkata is fine as a venue and we welcome and appreciate it. But the Indian government from their side must also give us an assurance on the danger.” Richardson, on his part, said he was hopeful that Pakistan would travel to India. “We have conveyed our decision to Pakistan and we are very hopeful they will come,” he said. “We have done the best possible security arrangements and if they do not come now, we will have to take the legal route. It will be very unjustified, if they do not come.”

Pakistan are scheduled to play their opening match against a first-round qualifier in Kolkata on March 16. Stressing that the “ICC has not lost faith in India”, Richardson said, “India is a big and complicated country in many respects. There are challenges with every ICC event. It’s not unprecedented. “ICC has not lost faith in India. There are huge logistical challenges. There are 59 matches in total across eight venues,” he said.