Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will send a security delegation to India before giving clearance for this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup. The government will send the security delegation to India after the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is elected.

“The security delegation will go with representation from the PCB to inspect the venues where Pakistan will play and also the security and other arrangements made for them in the World Cup,” an official source in the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India on Saturday. The delegation is likely to visit Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. “Before any tour to India it is standard practice for the cricket board to seek permission from the government which normally sends a delegation to India,” the official said.

“The delegation will interact with the officials there and discuss and inspect with them the security and other arrangements for our players, officials, fans and media, who will go for the tournament. “The PCB will share the report with the ICC and BCCI if the delegation has any concerns.” Earlier, the PCB shared its official stance on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 after its schedule was released by the game’s governing body on Tuesday.

According to a PCB spokesperson, the board “requires the Government of Pakistan’s clearance for any tour to India, including the match venues”. “We are liaising with our government for guidance, and as soon as we hear something from them, we will update the Event Authority [ICC]. This position is consistent to what we had told the ICC a couple of weeks ago when they shared with us the draft schedule and sought our feedback,” the spokesperson added. November 12 – vs England in Kolkata

According to the sources, the delegation will review the security and other arrangements at the venues designated for Pakistan’s matches. Furthermore, that the delegation will visit the arch-rival country after consultations with the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the sources said. The delegation will likely visit India’s Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) elects a new chairman.

“Before any tour to India, it is standard practice for the cricket board to seek permission from the government which normally sends a delegation to India,” the official said. “The delegation will interact with the officials there and discuss and inspect with them the security and other arrangements for our players, officials, fans and media, who will go for the tournament. “The PCB will share the report with the ICC and BCCI if the delegation has any concerns.”

The PCB spokesperson emphasized that the team’s participation in the tournament is subject to government clearance.”The board requires the Government of Pakistan’s clearance for any tour to India, including the match venues,” PCB spokesperson said. “We are liaising with our government for guidance, and as soon as we hear something from them, we will update the Event Authority [ICC]. This position is consistent to what we had told the ICC a couple of weeks ago when they shared with us the draft schedule and sought our feedback.” While the PCB has initiated the process of involving the government to obtain the necessary permissions for their participation in the tournament, they may also engage with the ICC regarding the venues, not limited to the match against the hosts, India, as reported by the Indian Express.The report mentioned that PCB is contemplating sending a security team to the five venues (Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata) where the Pakistan team is scheduled to play matches during the World Cup.

The timeline for this exercise has not been established and will depend on the government’s response. It is customary for some teams to conduct such security assessments before major events. Notably, a security team report from Pakistan influenced the ICC’s decision to move the 2016 World T20 match against India from Dharamsala to Kolkata.In a statement issued during that incident, the PCB expressed its approval of the ICC’s decision to relocate the Pakistan versus India match. The PCB had earlier informed the ICC and BCCI about its reservations regarding playing in Dharamsala, based on recommendations from Pakistan’s security delegation that had visited India at the time. Earlier, the PCB shared its official stance on the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 after its schedule was released by the game’s governing body on Tuesday.

According to a PCB spokesperson, the board “requires the Government of Pakistan’s clearance for any tour to India, including the match venues”.

“We are liaising with our government for guidance, and as soon as we hear something from them, we will update the Event Authority [ICC]. This position is consistent with what we had told the ICC a couple of weeks ago when they shared with us the draft schedule and sought our feedback,” the spokesperson added.