Pakistan players unhesitant about participation in World T20

Pakistan players were given an option to pull out of the World Twenty20 if any one of the them felt uneasy about the security in India, according to Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shaharyar Khan. But the team was unanimous in its decision to participate in the event.

Shaharyar Khan has expressed confidence of good security for Pakistan's team in India.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan today said the national cricket team players were given the option of pulling out of the tour to India for the World Twenty20 if they had any security concerns.

“I told them if any of them had any reservations they should inform me or the manager Intikhab Alam. My point was that if any player felt he would not able to focus on cricket in India in given circumstances he can withdraw from the squad,” Shaharyar told a news conference in Lahore.

Shaharyar said none of the players accepted this option and all of them made it clear they wanted to go to India to play in the World Twenty20. The PCB chief met with the players in Lahore on Thursday to brief them about the issues surrounding the World Twenty20 in India and the background for the government wanting full security assurances from the Indian government to give permission to the team to play in India.

“I am very happy that the team is going to India and although there might be some minor incidents, we are sure the security of our team will be top notch,” he said.

Shaharyar said he was confident that the Indian people would give a warm welcome to the Pakistan team. “Unfortunately, due to these issues, the team can play only one warm-up match against Sri Lanka instead of the scheduled two. [It] will reach Kolkata [on Saturday] since [it] will take an indirect flight,” said the PCB chief.