PCB wants ICC to vouch for its players' safety & security in order to visit India for WCs

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought written assurances from the BCCI via ICC to ensure its players would not face any hassles in visiting India for the T20 World Cup in 2021 and the ODI World Cup in 2023. PCB chief Ehsan Mani said that the Board had asked the apex governing council to ensure that Pakistan players will not face any issues in procuring visas to enter India to participate in the showpiece tournaments. Bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan has been halted for a long time following the latter's constant involvement in supporting terrorist activities and peddling anti-India narratives. 

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'Written assurances from BCCI...'

Speaking at an interview on YouTube Cricket Baaz channel, PCB chief Ehsan Mani revealed that the Board had sought written assurances from the BCCI to ensure that its players would get visas to participate in the two showpiece events scheduled to be hosted in India. Mani said that with the T20 World World Cup unlikely to be hosted this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the wait game had to be played to find out if Australia or India would be hosting it the next year as India already possessed the hosting rights. The PCB chief also indicated that the gap available in 2022 could possibly be used to host the T20 World Cup if it was cancelled in 2020. 

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Talking about the relations with the BCCI, Ehsan Mani said that he did not see any prospect of bilateral ties resuming soon between the two neighbours, although the Boards shared a good relationship. Further, Mani said that the PCB had sought advance assurances from the ICC as it was a global event and that it is their responsibility to ensure that, Pakistan as a full member and signatory of the participants' agreement, go and play in these events. The PCB chief also revealed that ICC's next executive meeting would most likely decide the fate of the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia later this year. 

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PCB hold a firm stance on Asia Cup 2020

In a recent media conference, the PCB CEO spoke about the prospects of Asia Cup 2020 and any possible cricketing commitments in place of the T20 World Cup, should the showpiece event gets shifted to a later date. Wasim Khan said that since Pakistan cricket team is set to tour England for three Tests and three T20Is in August, the players will return back to the country on September 2, i.e. in time for the proposed Asia Cup 2020. The PCB official rejected any speculation that the Asia Cup 2020 will get scrapped in favour of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to organise their Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season.

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