Pakistan consider withdrawing from World T20 in India due to anti-Muslim unrest

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Pakistan may pull out of next year’s World Twenty20 in India following anti-Muslim unrest in Mumbai and the Indian board’s reluctance to commit to a tour of the UAE in December.

The warning came after the Indian political right-wing group Shiv Sena stormed the BCCI’s headquarters in Mumbai, prompting Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar to be withdrawn from standing in the current India-South Africa series.

Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said there were security concerns over his team’s participation in the World Twenty20, in which Mumbai is scheduled to be one of eight host cities.

Pakistan may give up the chance of getting their hands on the World Twenty20 trophy, which they won in 2009

He added: ‘You have seen the conditions there. Wherever Pakistan’s name comes up, Shiv Sena does a demonstration. So we said, if this is the security situation then for us to go there will be very difficult.

‘Our government will definitely say, do not go there, whether it is international matches, or Asia Cup matches. This is what I feel, that our government says to us you don’t visit India. It’s not a very good situation but it’s been brought about by India.’

Pakistan’s absence from a global event would be another blow to a team who have played only a handful of low-key matches on home turf since the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

Khan, a former diplomat, wants India to make up their mind about touring the UAE by the end of this month. In the current political climate, it is unlikely the Indian government will offer their support to the trip. 

Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar was withdrawn from standing in the current India-South Africa series