ICC World Cup 2019: Wives, families of Pakistani players banned from traveling with team

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned the families and wives of the cricketers from accompanying them during the course of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, which is slated to take place in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14. 

According to the new policy of the PCB, the family members of the cricketers have to make their own arrangements if they want to stay with the players for the duration of the tournament.

The decision seems to have been made by the PCB in order to keep their players focused on the job at hand without any distraction of family members accompanying them, according to ESPNcricinfo. 

The PCB's new decision is applicable to all the Pakistan players except spin-bowling all-rounder Harris Sohail, who has been given special dispensation on personal grounds.

Earlier, Pakistan players were allowed to share hotel rooms with their family members during series abroad. Recently, wives and families of all the Pakistan players were also allowed to accompany them during the bilateral series against England.

Pakistan are slated to play two warm-up matches against Afghanistan and Bangladesh on May 24 and May 26, respectively before they will begin their World Cup campaign against West Indies on May 31.