After a week long uncertainty that either Pakistan would send its team to India or not, on Friday Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Sheheyar Khan confirmed that government has given nod to send team to India to take part in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan government asked for written assurance from Indian government regarding the security of Pakistan cricket team during the international event. Considering the mounting threats by anti-Pakistan elements in India, it was absolutely logical demand of Pakistan. If we put a glance on the recent events we would find that anti-Pakistan protests have increased in India. Protests in Dharamshala have forced BCCI and ICC to shift the venue to Kolkata for Indo-Pak encounter on March 19. Legendry Pakistan fast bowlers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar were forced to leave India couple of months before. Pakistani artists, singers and actors were also given threats which lead them to leave the neighboring country. Most of all Chairman of PCB was in Mumbai to discuss bilateral series with head of Indian cricket board when extremists broke into the building of BCCI which lead cancellation of talks.
Sanity prevailed and Indian government realized the sensitivity of the matter and provided due assurances regarding security of Pakistan team. On Friday PCB received two letters, from the West Bengal state government and Kolkata’s police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, assuring special security measures for Pakistan’s team. In a meeting between the Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit and the Indian Home Secretary, India assured that Pakistan will be provided security during the tour.
We wish best to our team to perform better without pressure of any sort.