A warm-up match featuring Pakistan’s women’s team, scheduled for March 12 against South Africa at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, has been cancelled. This is the second warm-up fixture involving Pakistan that was scrapped, following the one that was scheduled for March 10, against New Zealand.
Instead, South Africa is likely to play against a local team of 15 or 17-year-old boys on March 12, whereas New Zealand and England will face each other in back-to-back warm-up matches on March 11 and 12.
The arrival of Pakistan’s women’s team in India had earlier been postponed, and the decision on when it will arrive depended on the security clearance provided by Pakistan’s government. However, reports on Friday suggested that Pakistan’s men’s and women’s teams were expected to arrive in India sometime later on the same day.
Assurance
The Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar Khan, said that a detailed report has been sent to the Ministry of Interior on the security assurances received from the ICC and the BCCI. The Ministry has, in turn, given a go-ahead.
“We have also informed the ministry about assurances coming from the Bengal Chief Minister who is keen to see Pakistan play in Kolkata,” Shaharyar said.
Shaharyar also added that the ministry had been briefed about the security situation and arrangements for the Pakistan team by the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi. He said assurances given by the Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh that Pakistan would be given full security, and that the World Twenty20 would be held smoothly, are positive developments.
Pakistan is placed in Group B with India, England, West Indies and Bangladesh with its matches scheduled to be held in Chennai and Delhi. Its first match is against West Indies on March 16.
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