Pakistan plans to dispatch a security delegation to India to assess the venues and security arrangements before approving the national team’s participation in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup. This decision was revealed by an official source within the Inter-Provincial Coordination (Sports) Ministry.
The visit of the security delegation will be scheduled after the appointment of the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following the conclusion of the Eid holidays. The delegation aims to inspect the venues and ensure appropriate security measures are in place for the players, officials, fans, and media during the tournament.
“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,” the official said.
The security delegation, accompanied by representatives from the PCB, will visit the World Cup venues in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. The match between India and Pakistan is of particular significance, scheduled to take place on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The delegation will interact with Indian officials, discuss security arrangements, and examine other necessary preparations for the Pakistani team’s participation in the World Cup.
“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 delegation will interact with the officials there and discuss and inspect the security and other arrangements for our players, officials, fans, and media, who will go for the tournament,” the official said.
Before any tour to India, the PCB seeks permission from the government, which typically sends a delegation to assess the venues and security arrangements. The findings of the security delegation’s visit will be included in their report. If the delegation identifies any concerns or recommends a change of venue, it will communicate this information in its report. The PCB will share the report with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if necessary.
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“The PCB will share the report with the ICC and BCCI if the delegation has any concerns,” officials added.
The PCB had previously sent a joint delegation with the government to inspect venues during Pakistan’s visit to India for the T20 World Cup. Based on their recommendations, a match against India originally scheduled in Dharamsala was moved to Kolkata. This history underscores the importance of the security delegation’s visit in ensuring appropriate arrangements for the Pakistani team.
The final confirmation of Pakistan’s participation in the ICC ODI World Cup will only be announced when the government provides clearance to the PCB. This is a standard procedure, as national federations in various sports must seek government clearance before sending their teams to India for any competition.
