PCB to send four-member delegation ahead of India tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will send a four-member delegation to India some time next week to assess arrangements for the upcoming limited overs series, and it will include a representative from the ministry of foreign affairs.

Sources in the board said on Friday that visa applications for the delegation had already been sent to the Indian High Commission for processing and approval.

The delegation will include the PCB manager international cricket, Usman Wahlia, the director of security and vigilance, Ehsan Sadiq and the national team security manager, Colonel Wasim Ahmed.

"The ministry has sent the name of its representative to the board which has also informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the names of its delegation and it is awaiting a response from the Indian board," a source said.

The PCB had decided to send the delegation ahead of the tour to not only inspect the hotel and ground arrangements for the Pakistan team but also the security protocol, which will be kept in place for the visiting players.

"The delegation will be looking at the security arrangements with the hosts to ensure better coordination during the tour," the source added.

He said the delegation will visit match venues in New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai.

The Pakistan team is due to reach India on December 22 to began its short tour of two Twenty20 internationals and three One-day Internationals, which will mark the first bilateral series between the two countries after five years.

Although the PCB has said that it has full confidence in the security that will be provided to its team in India, threats from some sections to disrupt the tour have prompted the board to send a delegation to coordinate arrangements with the hosts.