ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar might give his Pakistan visit a miss

ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar was expected to travel to Pakistan in August-September this year ahead of the World XI’s tour of Pakistan but it now appears to be in a limbo due to political instability in the country. There are several media reports suggesting that the current Prime Minister of the country Nawaz Sharif will be ousted by the apex court of law due to the graft charges on him levied after Panama Paper leak.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had asked the government to provide provision of security and other arrangements during the ICC Chairman’s visit but due to the unstable present political scenario, they haven’t received a response from authorities yet.

Uncertainty over visit

The purpose of the visit was to get an overview of the situation security wise before giving a green signal to the three-match T20 series between World XI and Pakistan. “Manohar’s visit is being linked to the visit of the World XI in early September as earlier he was invited to come in August but by that time the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan would have completed his three-year tenure and stepped down,” a source was quoted by PTI as saying on Cricketnext.

“With Shaharyar to be replaced by a new Chairman in August, it appears even if Manohar comes it will coincide with the visit of the World XI but at this point of time with just around six weeks remaining the tour seems unlikely due to the political scenario,” another source said.Manohar comes it will coincide with the visit of the World XI but at this point of time with just around six weeks remaining the tour seems unlikely due to the political scenario,” the source added.

ICC approves three T20I between World XI and Pakistan

Pakistan board breath a sigh of relief when ICC approved the World XI team’s tour of Pakistan in September to play three T20 Internationals. Initially, the tentative dates for mega series were slotted for the latter half of September. However, many International players would be unavailable in that period due to prior commitments which eventually forced PCB to shift the series in the first half of the month.

“But given that the ICC is seeking top security arrangements and assurances for the World XI, which are yet forthcoming from the government to the PCB due to the uncertain political conditions in the country, it seems time is running out and if the World Eleven doesn’t come than Manohar’s visit is also unlikely to take place,” the source concluded.