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Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Monday reacted to the reports of a terror threat issued from North Pakistan against the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies. Trinidad’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley revealed the threat before asserting that “extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness” will be put in to neutralise the danger.
Speaking to ANI, Shukla said that while the responsibility for security lies in the hands of the host nation, the final decision on whether Team India will participate in the T20 World Cup will be decided by the central government of India.
“As far as threat is concerned, the responsibility of security lies with the security agencies of the country that is hosting the game. Every precaution will be taken. We will take whatever steps are necessary for the safety of the players and spectators. We will talk to the agencies responsible for carrying out the World Cup. We will go according to the decision taken by the central government. We are in touch with WI and USA Govts,” he said.
The tournament – featuring 20 teams, including India – is slated to begin on June 1. Currently, the threat, according to media reports, is specific to the West Indies, which aside from some preliminary matches, will be hosting the entire Super 8 stage along with the semifinals and the final on June 29.
“Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century,” Rowley was quoted as saying by ‘Trinidad Daily Express’. “It is against this backdrop that all nations, like our region, when hosting large or vulnerable gatherings, make an extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness to take seriously, all threats, expressed or implied.”
While Rowley did not specify the name of any organisation, reports stated that the Islamic State made the threat through its propaganda channel.
According to Cricbuzz, the security alert stated that, “Pro-Islamic State (IS) media sources have launched campaigns inciting violence against sporting events, which included video messages from the Afghanistan-Pakistan branch, ISKhorasan (IS-K) which highlighted assaults in numerous countries and urged supporters to join the battlefield in their countries.”
