PCB demands written assurances from BCCI for T20 World Cup

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani says assurances for security and the granting of visas would be necessary given the relationship between India and Pakistan.

PCB chairman, Ehsan Mani.

The Pakistan Cricket Board will ask the ICC to relocate the T20 World Cup to the UAE if India doesn’t provide a written assurance that its team, fans and journalists will be granted visas for the event, chairman Ehsan Mani has said.

During an interaction with reporters at the PCB headquarters in Lahore, Mani said the PCB had expressed its views to the ICC. “There is a need to change the ‘Big Three’ mindset. We are not seeking written assurance for the visas of the national team only, but for the fans, officials and journalists as well,” Mani said.

 

The veteran cricket administrator added, “We have told the ICC that India should give written assurances by the end of March so that we know where we stand or we will push for the relocation of the World Cup from India to UAE.”

India is scheduled to host the T20 showpiece in October-November.

Mani also said it wanted written assurances from the BCCI about security arrangements for the entire Pakistan contingent. He said they were necessary given the existing relationship between the two countries.

In the absence of bilateral cricket between the two countries, Mani said the PCB had made its intentions clear to the game’s stakeholders - within and outside the country - that “PCB plans to run our cricket without India.”