Pakistan will travel to Dharamshala as planned for World T20: PCB chief Shaharyar Khan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Shaharyar Khan has ruled out any last-minute change of plans that concern touring Dharamshala for playing all-crucial tie against India on March 19.

This has come after Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhardra Singh's latest snub to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) president Anurag Thakur during their meeting on Wednesday, calling for shifting of Pakistan match.

A Himachal government official said that Singh has told Thakur that "given the present scenario where soldiers, many from Himachal, are dying on the border" there can't be a match with Pakistan.

Meanwhile, PCB chief told dna that "he is going by the words of the Indian government, the international Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding providing foolproof security to the Pakistan team".

The PCB chief has also got assurance from his counterpart in BCCI, Shashank Manohar, that the Indians will leave no stone unturned in providing security to the Pakistan team.

"We are aware of the situation there in India. But there are no options than to come to Dharamshala as per our schedule, unless ICC or BCCI or Government of India tell us otherwise," PCB president said over phone on Wednesday.

Shaharyar added that he has also asked BCCI to give details of security arrangements and visa facilities for Pakistani fans who intend to travel to India for the said T20 game.

"I have been told that BCCI secretary (Thakur) is working on that and they will let us know about it in a couple of days."

On the other hand, a senior official of the HP government told dna that "it was HPCA chief first who called for cancellation of all India-Pak ties post Gurdaspur attack".

"The state CM is only echoing his sentiments. What's wrong in that?" asked the official.

Replying to Thakur's tweet on Tuesday — cricket fans, tourists and organisers have all made their travel plans in accordance with this schedule — the official replied that "it would not be appropriate for the HPCA president to write all this because no tickets have till date been allotted to any of the cricket fan".

"No hotel booking has been made by any cricket lover in Dharamshala till now as no one is assured of any ticket. More than one lakh cricket fans have applied online for just over 5,000 tickets available. The draw of lottery will decide who among them will be lucky. So, all this hue and cry about inconvenience occurring to fans is not true at this point of time," said the official.

The chief minister apparently asked Thakur to sort out the issue with the families of the martyrs and ex-servicemen, who have strongly opposed the Indo-Pak tie.

"The public opinion is against the match. Our ex-servicemen are respected people. It would be fair if the BCCI talk to the ex-servicemen first," the chief minister told reporters after the meeting.

"We are not stopping the match and will provide the security during the match. But the government cannot use guns and lathis or batons against the families of the martyrs and the ex-servicemen. We cannot push them and use tear gas on them," the chief minister hinted at a security issue.

Takur, who has a running battle with Singh over last few years, reacted strongly to CM's call for shifting of the Indo-Pak tie. Thakur, a Member of Parliament with the ruling BJP government, said Singh was only playing mischief, and that it was inappropriate to mix sports and politics. He gave the example of the recent South Asian Games, which included Pakistan as one of the participating countries.

"If Assam can host the South Asian Games, and 100-plus athletes from Pakistan can participate, then why is it not possible for Himachal government to host the WT20 match? I think there should not be any politics. It is a matter of pride for the country," said Thakur.

HPCA secretary Vishal Marwah, meanwhile, clarified that his association still stand for what his president said after the Gurdaspur attack.

"HPCA president only said that time is not right for bilateral series between India and Pakistan. But don't mix that up with current scenario. HPCA still believes that 'no bilateral series' should be played between two countries.

But this is not bilateral… This is an ICC event and HPCA is will only host such a high-intensity match," said Marwah, adding: "I'm confident that the match would be conducted here successfully."

Pakistan's other matches are scheduled to be played in Kolkata and Mohali. The Pakistan government last week gave clearance to the PCB to send the team for the World T20.