ICC to deal with India on security cover for Pak team

Karachi, Aug 31 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) has assured Pakistan that it will directly deal with Indian authorities to ensure foolproof security arrangements for its cricket team for the 2011 World Cup matches in India.

Sources said Monday that one of the most important clauses of the agreement signed between the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in Dubai last week states that the game’s governing body will directly deal with the security cover for the Pakistan team when it plays in India during the 2011 World Cup.

PCB sought comprehensive guarantees from the ICC that the players will get top-class security cover in India during the World Cup before the board agreed to give up its legal proceedings against the ICC over the hosting rights of the 2011 World Cup, according to sources.

Sources also said that the ICC will be directly dealing with getting Indian visas issued for spectators and media people from Pakistan during the World Cup.

Pakistan was supposed to host 14 matches of the World Cup and was one of the four original co-hosts of the tournament along with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However, in April this year the ICC decided to relocate Pakistan’s World Cup games after the Sri Lankan cricketers were attacked by terrorists in Lahore in March.