On 2nd April, Chairman PCB, Mr Shaharyar M Khan held meetings with BCCI Vice-President, Mr Rajiv Shukla and President Delhi Cricket Association Mr Arun Jaitley. Earlier, Chairman PCB had inspected the Ferosz Shah Kotla ground and discussed security, stadium capacity and playing conditions with BCCI and DCCA officials. At the meeting, the Chairman registered PCB’s disappointment that, except for the Mohali Test where 3500 visas were issued to Pakistani cricket fans, not a single visa had been issued for the Test at Kolkata and any of the ODI’s in Kochi, Vishakapatnam, Jamshedpur and Ahmedabad because the tickets were not printed in time for visas to be given by the Indian High Commission. Unlike Pakistan, tickets in India could not be purchased for Indian venues on the internet. For the Bangalore Test, tickets had to be physically collected from the Karnataka Cricket Association so that a limited numbers of visas could be issued at the eleventh hour.

At the 2nd April meeting, BCCI and DDCA confirmed that it had been finally decided that the 6th ODI would be held in Delhi on 17th April. Security arrangements for the President would be ensured by the Indian government and playing conditions i.e. pitch and outfield- brought up to minimum international level. The main problem related to crowd capacity as the stands have only been partially constructed and would severely limit the capacity to around 15,000 spectators. Tickets are now being printed for the 6th ODI in Delhi and approximately 2500 tickets would be available on 8th April for Pakistani spectators. The exact number and denomination of tickets available would only be known on 8th April but would range between Rs 400 to Rs10,000 per ticket. A separate announcement will follow on 8th April regarding the sale of tickets and obtaining visas.

PCB Chairman is proceeding to Islamabad on Monday 4th April to discuss with the Foreign Secretary and the Indian High Commissioner, security and protocol arrangements for the President and the opening of a Visa Office in Lahore/Karachi for the Delhi ODI, so that ticket holders can be issued visas in good time, as was done for the Mohali Test.

Abbas Zaidi
Director (Board Operations)

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Pakistan Cricket Board)