Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Wasim Khan has refuted reports that the men’s team won’t travel to India for the T20 World Cup in 2021 if India don’t tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup this year.
Recent media reports quoting Khan indicated that PCB had threatened to pull out of the 2021 T20 World Cup, following uncertainty about where the Asia Cup will be held and India’s participation in it. Pakistan have been granted the hosting rights for the 2020 edition of the tournament, but with India not playing bilateral cricket with their neighbour since 2012, and not having travelled to Pakistan since 2008, it isn’t confirmed where it will be played. In its previous edition, India, who had hosting rights, held the Asia Cup in UAE, after Pakistan refused to travel to India over security concerns.
However, Khan clarified to Sportstar that there was no question of missing an ICC tournament.
Could we see a World Cup played in Pakistan in the not-too-distant future?https://t.co/PuhzvqY6Jp
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) January 23, 2020
“This has been completely taken out of context,” he said. “Even though we would still want to host the Asia Cup in Pakistan, the Asian Cricket Council needs to decide on what it will do about the matches involving India.
[breakout id=”0”][/breakout]
“[The threat to pull out] is absolutely incorrect. What I would like to say is that we are concerned about security issues and also there could be issued in attaining visas. But we are confident that things will ease out over the period of time.”
Pakistan are keen to see cricket back in the country in full steam. While Sri Lanka conceded to return for Tests there, for the first time since the 2009 attack on the team bus, negotiations for Bangladesh to play a two-Test series in the country were lengthy. PCB have made clear their intention to bid for global tournaments, and are also hoping to convince South Africa to tour the country this year.
