Citing security concerns, Pakistan may not come to India for ICC World Twenty20: Report

New Delhi: In what could be a major blow for the cricket fans in India and Pakistan, the Pakistan cricket team might not be able to make it for the ICC World Twenty20 if they don't get a go ahead from their government regarding security.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Another team could be asked to step in for Pakistan in the month-long ICC World Twenty20 that begins on March 8.

“At the ICC board meeting, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan did inform that his side’s participation in the event was subject to government clearance.

There was no further discussion as far as I remember,” an Indian cricket administrator who attended an International Cricket Council meeting in Dubai last week told HT on Tuesday..

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the PCB revealed that the issue of Pakistan's participation in the World T20 in India in March-April had been discussed at the recent International Cricket Council in Dubai.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan said that a proposal was also floated about having Pakistan's matches at neutral venues if it didn't get permission from its government to tour India for the World T20 in March.

Khan said he had informed the ICC members there are specific threats to the Pakistan team.

He said there had been incidents in recent months which pointed to Pakistan specific threats one of them was the ICC decision to pull out Pakistani Umpire Aleem Dar midway from a series in India in which he officiated.

He also recalled the cancellation of a scheduled meeting with BCCI officials in Mumbai because of threats from Shiv Sena activists and also threats to Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali.

The former career diplomat said cricket was vastly different from sending teams to India in other sports like the Pakistan contingent in Guwahati for the SAF games at present.