BCCI wants 'no terror guarantee' after PCB demands visa assurance

The tussle between the BCCI and PCB continues to roll the ball from one court to another. After Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Wasim Khan said that the board has asked the ICC for a written assurance from the BCCI that there will not be any visa-related issues from the Indian government when Pakistan travels to play the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 World Cup in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has asked for a ‘no terror attack guarantee from the PCB.

Speaking to news agency IANS, a BCCI official said that while the ICC rules state that there should be no governmental interference in the running of the game, the same also applies for cricket boards and they should refrain from interfering in the running of the government. 

The official also asked the PCB to ensure a written guarantee that there will be no hostility at the Indo-Pak border before asking for visa-related assurance from the Indian board.

"Can the PCB give an assurance in writing that the Pakistan government would ensure that no illegal incursions into India takes place from the Pakistani side or that there's no violation of the cease-fire or that no act of terror takes place on Indian soil originating in Pakistan or that no repeat of Pulwama type incident takes place?”

"The ICC mandates that there should be no interference of governments in the administration of the game and the corollary would be that a sports board doesn't attempt to interfere with how a government functions. It's time the PCB realises that and stops acting like an agent for an individual in the ICC who is known to work against the interest of India. All I would say is that India is a wonderful country and acts in the most balanced way," the official added further.

Earlier, Wasim Khan in an interview on the YouTube Channel 'Cricket Baaz' had said, "We are also looking at the fact that the ICC World Cups are to be hosted in India in 2021 and 2023 and we have already asked the ICC to give us written assurances from BCCI that we will not face any problems getting visas and clearance to play in India."

Citing the cases where many Pakistani sports team were not given clearance by the Indian government, Khan said, "That is why we have asked for the advance assurances. But eventually, it is an ICC event and it is their responsibility to ensure we as a full member and signatory of the participants agreement go and play in these ICC events," he said.

It is worth mentioning that last year, then Union Sports Secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya had written to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Narinder Batra and IOC chief Thomas Bach, saying that the Indian government would permit all qualifying athletes belonging to any nationality to participate in sporting events without any prejudice.