Pakistan threatens to pull out of T20 World Cup

03/03/2016

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan on Thursday threatened to pull out of the World T20 in India with the security situation remaining unclear. Shahryar Khan called for India to provide full security to the Pakistan team and publicly acknowledge their participation in the tournament.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday had expressed the state government’s inability to provide security to the Pakistan cricket team for the marquee clash against India on March 19. Virbhadra Singh reiterated his stand today and said that the government will think about providing security if the martyrs’ families do not oppose it.

However, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur seemed confident about the status of the match and claimed that everything was going according to the schedule.

But PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan was not impressed with the political battle going on in India and said that Pakistan is concerned about the security situation during the World T20.

"We have concerns and the threats are Pakistan-specific. Even now, the Himachal Pradesh chief minister has also said that they will not guarantee the security. We have been informing the ICC on a daily basis about these threats which is not encouraging for us,” Shahryar said during a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, reported ESPNcricinfo.

"Although our government has already given permission, these latest threats need to be taken seriously. Political parties like Shiv Sena [threatened us], now even the Congress has also said they will not let us play along with some other groups. Those are the ones creating agitation," he added.

Shahryar Khan also said that the Indian government needs to publicly acknowledge Pakistan’s participation in the tournament and should release a statement ensuring full security.

"We have told the ICC that there is only one step that the Indian government needs to take and that is to issue a public statement that they are ready to welcome Pakistan and ensure full security for our team, which hasn't come as yet.

"We have already been given permission [to travel] and we want to come, but we need reassurance and they should give a statement that will create a sense of security among us. I spoke to the BCCI and they are giving us a private assurance, claiming that it's all about internal politics, nothing else, and that Pakistan should come.

"But a public statement is important and it should come as there are threats and we can see them. We have written to the ICC that they should come forward and we've asked the Indian government to assure us and give a statement. If they won't give the statement, then I see it's very difficult to go to India. There is no deadline in making the decision but we will have to monitor till the end and can even pull out at the eleventh hour," Shaharyar said.

Pakistan is currently in Bangladesh for the Asia Cup T20 and are set to return home on March 5 after their match against Sri Lanka on March 4.