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PCB welcomes India`s decision to allow cricket tour
New Delhi, Feb 14: The PCB today welcomed the Indian government`s decision to allow the cricket team to tour Pakistan as per schedule and reiterated their assurance of making it an incident-free series.
New Delhi, Feb 14: The PCB today welcomed the Indian
government's decision to allow the cricket team to tour Pakistan as
per schedule and reiterated their assurance of making it an
incident-free series.
Pakistan Cricket Board's media manager Samiul Hasan told a
television channel here that with all speculations regarding the
tour having ended now, both the teams will be able to concentrate on
the game better.
''The PCB is optimistic and convinced that there will be no
untoward incident during the series,'' he told a news agency.
Mr Hasan added that the PCB had extended the maximum security
guarantees to the three-member BCCI panel, which is on a tour to
study the security situation in Pakistan, and that they were
satisfied with it.
Asked if the Indian players would be allowed to roam about freely
in Pakistan, he said, ''we are not going to put any embargo on the
movement of Indian players. We have ensured their safety at all
levels. However, they (the players) will have to inform the security
officers one hour prior to their departure time about the
destination they would want to visit.''
On whether this security issue would translate into an on-field
pressure on the Indian team, Mr Hasan said he did not think it would
affect the players to that extent.
Recalling the Pakistan team's tour to India in 1999, he said,
''They were also under pressure when they visited India, but after a
couple of days the situation eased as they received a lot of warmth
and appreciation from the people there.
''I am sure the Indian cricket team will be extended the same
warmth here and they can get on with the game without any undue
pressure.''
Bureau Report