Zimbabwe coach Lalchand Rajput exempted from touring Pakistan

Zimbabwe head coach and former Indian cricketer Lalchand Rajput has been exempted from the Zimbabwe tour of Pakistan after the Indian embassy in Harare refrained the cricketer from traveling to Pakistan. Rajput was appointed as Zimbabwe’s full-time coach in August 2018, after the team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. He featured in two Tests and four One Day Internationals for India between 1985 and 1987.

A statement from Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) read that Rajput has been sidelined from the Pakistan tour upon the request of the Indian government representatives. The Pakistan Embassy in Harare had already issued a visa for him. Also, in the absence of Rajput, Douglas Hondo will coach the team for the three-match ODI and T20I series in Pakistan starting October 30.

“@Lalchandrajput7 will miss the @TheRealPCB tour after the Embassy of India in Harare wrote to @ZimCricketv asking that he be exempted from visiting Pakistan. The Embassy of Pakistan in Harare had issued a visa to Rajput,” the ZC tweeted.

“With @Lalchandrajput7 unavailable, @ZimCricketv has appointed bowling coach Douglas Hondo to take charge of the team for the three ODIs and as many T20Is games against @TheRealPCB,” the other tweet read.

It is an internal matter between ZC and Mr. Rajput, says PCB

According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the exemption for Lalchand Rajput was sought citing “travel guidelines of the (Indian) government for its citizens”. Notably, the two nations India and Pakistan are arch-rivals and do not indulge in any bilateral series against each other.

Clarifying the stand of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on this matter, the official spokesperson said that if Rajput doesn’t travel even after getting a visa, then it’s an internal matter between him and the Zimbabwe cricket board.

“The Zimbabwe Cricket officials had got a visa for Mr. Lal Chand Rajput from the Pakistan High Commission in Harare and if he has not come this is an internal matter between ZC and Mr. Rajput,” he said.

A top source of PCB, however, raised concerns over the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the T20 World Cup 2021, scheduled in India. The source revealed that the PCB is waiting for a confirmation from ICC and BCCI regarding the issuing of visas to the players.

“The concerns are genuine because the PCB is waiting for confirmation from the ICC and BCCI by January-February that the national team would be issued visas by the Indian government for next year’s World T20 in India. Makes no sense to stop him from travelling to Pakistan when he has been issued a visa. The PCB is bound to provide the best security and hospitality to the visiting contingent as per regulations,” he added.