The squad including 15 players, 12 officials and support staff reached the Kolkata airport amid tight security a day after the Pakistan government gave the cricket board the green signal to fly to India to take part in the ICC event.
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“Hosting the Pakistanis is an insult to all courageous soldiers who died in attacks”, said Shandilya.
With elite commandos, Rapid Action Force personnel and crack teams from the city and state police putting up several layers of security, the Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan squad reached the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 7.44 p.m., ending weeks of uncertainty over their arrival.
Pakistan Cricket’s official Facebook page has unveiled the pictures of Pakistani cricketers including skipper Shahid Afridi, Ahmed Shehzad, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Hafeez and other senior members in the brand new jersey they will be sporting at the World T20 2016.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis hopes his team can return to form and overcome recent hiccups at the World Twenty20 in India. Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit also had a meeting with officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs after which the decision to send the national men’s and women’s teams was announced.
Earlier, the national team’s inclusion into the championship had been unclear after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh declined to provide security to the visiting Pakistan cricket team.
Pakistan will to play their opening match against the first-round qualifier in Kolkata on March 16.
Concerns by the Pakistani government and its cricket administration board over security of its players forced the ICC to shift the venue for the India-Pakistan clash from Dharamshala to Kolkata.
Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam said the players remained focused. They will now play a practice game against Sri Lanka in Kolkata on Monday.
Both teams were scheduled to depart for India earlier this week, but the departure was put on hold due to the controversy over security assurances.
“Subsequently, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has also approved Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup”, Najam Sethi, chairman of PCB’s executive committee, told reporters.
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The matter was resolved after Indian government assured them of foolproof security.
