Lahore- The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy will be held either on February 16 or 17 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that India captain Rohit Sharma will be in attendance at the event.
The PCB source also said that it is awaiting communication from the ICC on the schedule of the customary captains’ photo-shoot and the pre-event press conference.
The eight-team tournament will get underway on February 19 in Karachi. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai, starting with the clash against Bangladesh on February 20, after refusing to travel to Pakistan owing to security concerns.
The source said PCB has procured all relevant clearances from its government to promptly issue visas to all captains, players and team officials who will come here for pre-tournament events.
“This obviously includes Rohit or any other Indian team player or official or board official,” he added.
Another source confirmed to PTI that the PCB has made it clear to the ICC that the opening ceremony, featuring all teams and their captains, will take place in Pakistan.
“This is in line with the usual protocols and since the opening match is on 19th the opening ceremony can be expected either on the 16th or 17th,” the source added.
He said the schedule of the opening ceremony would depend on the warm-up matches list.
The source said that recently three Indian nationals, who were a part of the ICC delegation which came to Pakistan, were promptly issued visas once the world body sent their names to the PCB.
PCB Name Saim Ayub In CT Provisional Squad
Pakistan selectors have decided to include opener Saim Ayub, who is recuperating from a right ankle injury, in the provisional squad for the Champions Trophy beginning next month.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not disclosed the squad officially but it contains most of the premier stars such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Nasim Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan.
An insider said the selectors included Saim as they feel even if he is not recovered in time to play the ICC showpiece he can be replaced by another player.
Changes to the preliminary squad can be made until February 13.
Saim is presently in London on PCB expenses and final reports of the examination done by two high-profile orthopaedic sports surgeons are awaited.
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