Shahryar revealed that they made the proposal during the recent ICC Board meeting in Dubai, saying that they were ready to play the matches at neutral venues in case the Pakistan Government did not give the permission to tour India due to security concerns, the Dawn reported.
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Many in Pakistan’s cricket circles have insisted that the PCB should steer clear of India, and lobby with other cricket boards to either postpone the World Twenty20 or shift it out of India.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken up the issue of cancellation of bilateral series with India last December, as per an MOU signed between the two boards in 2014 to play six bilateral series, with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Ahead of a former Pakistan foreign minister’s book launch the organiser was attack.
Neighbors Pakistan and India share a volatile relationship. “This is the reality at the moment and the PCB has every right to be concerned about the safety and security of the Pakistan cricketers”, Mani said, speaking to The Indian Express. “They are not general threats, like Australia had in Bangladesh and they did not send their team for the Under-19 World Cup”, he said.
“If the decision is negative then maybe the ICC will say that our matches should be held on neutral venues in Sri Lanka or United Arab Emirates”. February 8 was supposed to be the deadline for World Cup-bound squad. “It’s for the ICC to decide…” Fifty party workers stormed the BCCI office in Mumbai, shouting anti-Pakistan slogans and demanding that the BCCI cancel the series.
Sir Vivian Richards who is in Dubai as a “mentor” of the Quetta Gladiators team which is one of the five PSL outfits, laments the circumstances which do not allow Pakistan to play worldwide cricket at home. I have always maintained that politics shouldn’t come into bilateral cricket ties. “The PCB is concerned about player safety”, said Mani. The 2016 ICC World Twenty20, the sixth ICC World Twenty20 tournament, is scheduled to be held in India from March 8 to April 3, 2016.
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Pakistan and India had last played a Test series in 2007 in India whereas Pakistan also toured in 2012/2013 for T20 and ODI series.
