Will push for relocation of the upcoming T20I World Cup in the absence of Visa Assurance from India, says PCB chairman Ehsan Mani
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani says that they will push for the relocation of the upcoming T20I World Cup to UAE if India does not provide the written assurance that the team, fans and crew members will be granted visas to attend the event.
PCB chairman Ehsan Mani went straight to India that they will push for the relocation of the upcoming T20I World Cup to a neutral venue if India does not provide a written assurance that the team, crew members, journalists and fans will be given visas for attending the event.
During an interaction with the media reporters at the PCB headquarters in Lahore, Mani said that he had expressed his views to the ICC panel.
“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,”
he said.
The veteran cricket expert included:
“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,”
added.
India is scheduled to hold the T20I World Cup in October-November. Mani also said that he wants written assurances from the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) about the security protocols of the Pakistan contingent.
He stated on Friday that the written assurances are necessary keeping in view the current relationship between both countries.
In the absence of bilateral cricket between both sides for quite a long time, the chairman said that he has made his intentions clear to the stakeholders of the game within and outside the country that Pakistan plans to run its cricket without India.
Ehsan Mani also cleared that PCB is hopeful that all Pakistan players will get vaccinated by the end of March and also exposed that the upper management is in contact with the National Command Operation Centre, which is responsible for the control of Coronavirus in Pakistan.
He further said that they had worked hard to get in touch with the teams in the matter of touring Pakistan in Test and white-ball cricket. He highlighted the PCB efforts in bringing international cricket back to Pakistan through the tour of three ODI series from Zimbabwe and many T20I games.
Recently South Africa toured Pakistan after a long break for two-Test and three T20I series. Also, the entirely planned PSL season 6 is on the way despite the current COVID-19 situation throughout the world.
Mani said that PCB had not consulted ICC before deciding to have full-fledged domestic and International activities in the country for a current season.
He also expressed disappointment over Cricket Australia’s decision not sending their team for the tour of South Africa which was scheduled. And said:
“At the peak of the virus in England in the summer of 2020, the Pakistan men’s team toured England.”
Talking about this year’s Asia Cup, he said that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had created a window for the event which will possibly be held in a T20 format.