The 2021 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup will be held in India. And concerning the current relationship with the neighbouring country, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to get a written assurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that the Pakistan team would face no problems getting visas.
“We are also looking at the fact that the ICC World Cups are to be hosted in India in 2021 and 2023 and we have already asked the ICC to give us written assurances from BCCI that we will not face any problems getting visas and clearance to play in India,” PCB CEO Wasim Khan had said on a YouTube channel.
Now BCCI has also reacted to PCB’s stance and asked for a ‘no terror attack guarantee’ from the Pakistan board. While speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said the ICC rules clearly state that there should be no governmental interference, but the same also applies for cricket boards that they shouldn’t interfere in the running of the government.
The official didn’t just stop there as he then asked the PCB to provide a written guarantee that there will be no antagonism at the border before asking for visa-related assurance from the Indian cricketing body.
“Can the PCB give an assurance in writing that the Pakistan government would ensure that no illegal incursions into India takes place from the Pakistani side or that there’s no violation of the cease-fire or that no act of terror takes place on Indian soil originating in Pakistan or that no repeat of Pulwama type incident takes place?” said the BCCI official.
“The ICC mandates that there should be no interference of governments in the administration of the game and the corollary would be that a sports board doesn’t attempt to interfere with how a government functions. It’s time the PCB realises that and stops acting like an agent for an individual in the ICC who is known to work against the interest of India. All I would say is that India is a wonderful country and acts in the most balanced way,” he added.
