ICC World T20: Pakistan team gets green signal

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday allowed the cricket teams to participate in the T20 World Cup in India after written assurance from New Delhi that adequate security would be provided.

Head of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Executive Committee Najam Sethi said that Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan had given a green signal to the teams to visit India for the World T20. Earlier, the Interior Minister called up Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in Saudi Arabia, and consulted with him for a final decision regarding national cricket team’s visit to India for World Twenty20. Mr Khan, who was mandated by the PM to take a decision in this regard, later telephoned PCB chief Shaharyar Khan.

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On Thursday, the minister had ruled out sending the team to India until security assurances come from New Delhi, saying the threats from extremists were serious. The Pakistan team were due to fly out on Wednesday to play in the World Twenty20 cricket tournament but their departure was put on hold by the government.

Pakistan sent a security assessment team to India on Monday after voicing repeated concerns about arrangements, saying there had been threats from Hindu activists.

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On Wednesday the International Cricket Council and Board of Cricket for Control in India shifted the March 19 game after the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh refused to provide security for the match. Mr Sethi said the decision had been taken after positive recommendations from the Pakistani High Commissioner in India, Abdul Basit.

He added that solid assurances from chief minister West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, Home Secretary of India and the Home Minister of India also played a crucial role in taking the final decision of sending the men’s and women’s teams to India.

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PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan also addressed a news conference in Lahore and said that the team will reach India on Saturday. “We have missed the warm up match against a local Indian team,” said Mr Khan.

He said, “I asked all the players if they were willing to go to India despite security fears. I gave them the option to step back. They all said they are ready to go. I also had a conversation with nearly 10 media outlets in India and they said that we were convinced by our stance on security.” The PCB chief said he had received the assurance in writing that the Pakistani men’s and women’s teams will receive foolproof security during their stay in India.

The written assurance came from chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, who earlier tweeted that they were happy to host Pakistan versus India match in Kolkata. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday also reiterated his country’s stance that all the visiting nations including Pakistan will be provided security during the World Cup Twenty20 tournament.