There is still no clarity on whether the India vs Pakistan World T20 match will be played at Dharamshala on Marach 19. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh continued to oppose the match after meeting BCCI secretary and BJP's Hamirpur MP, Anurag Thakur.
The chief minister told Thakur that the opposition was from families of Indian soldiers and ex-servicemen and he was not ready to use force against them. “Our ex-servicemen are respectable people. It would be fair for BCCI to talk to the ex-servicemen,” he said.
Thakur, who is also president of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), met Virbhadra at the state assembly and said the match should not be opposed as it was fixed long ago. Immediately after the meeting, state president of the body of ex-servicemen and former Congress minister, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia, and transport minister G S Bali, who are opposing the match, also met Virbhadra.
An upset Thakur said if the Congress government in Assam could host 750 Pakistani players during the South Asian Games recently, so could the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh. “Providing security is the responsibility of the state government. Are we not able to provide security to 15 Pakistani players?” he asked. “Fans have invested in air and rail tickets, taxis and hotels. Cancelling the match would create trouble for them.”
He warned that cancellation would result in ICC banning international matches in the state for a long time. Dharamshala is the only international venue in Himachal Pradesh. “Those opposing the match were at the forefront of receiving the Pakistan team in 2005, a few years after the Kargil war,” he added. “Politicians opposing the match should know that in 67 years this is the first time that such a big event is being hosted in the state.”
Virbhadra told reporters that the government had provided security for the matches in the past but this time it would be difficult for them.“We are not stopping the match, but the state government cannot use guns and lathis against the families of martyrs and ex-servicemen,” he said. “We cannot push them and use tear gas on them.”
Two-member Pak team in Dharamsala
Meanwhile, a two-member team from Pakistan arrived on Monday to review the security situation in Dharamsala, eventhough no final decision has been taken about the match.
The team, comprising Federal Investigation Agency Lahore Director Dr Usman Anwar and Pakistan Cricket Board Chief Security Officer Col (R) Azam Khan, arrived via the Wagah border and left for Dharamsala. They will meet senior Indian security officials and assess the lodging and boarding arrangements for the players. Besides, it will assess whether the security situation is suitable for the visit by the cricket team. Pakistan will take a final decision on the match after the report of its team.
