Maroc - POPDIARIES.COM - A La Une - 15/Jan 18:17

ICC: Pakistan Should Host Champions Trophy Captains’ Meet, Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy is all set to take place on either February 16 or 17, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressing confidence that India’s captain Rohit Sharma will attend the event. One PCB source also mentioned that they are waiting for communication from the ICC regarding the schedule for the traditional captains' photo session & the pre-event press conference. The 8-team tournament will begin on February 19 in Karachi, but India will play all their matches in Dubai, starting with their encounter against Bangladesh on February 20, due to their refusal to travel to Pakistan over safety concerns. A source added that the PCB has secured all necessary clearances from its government to promptly issue visas to all captains, players, & team officials attending pre-tournament events. "This obviously includes Rohit or any other Indian team player or official or board official," he stated. Another source confirmed to PTI that the PCB has informed the ICC that the opening ceremony, which will feature all the teams & their captains, will be held 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," a source said. The source also stated that the timing of the opening ceremony will  depend on the schedule of the warm-up matches. The source further noted that recently, 3 Indian nationals from the ICC delegation visiting Pakistan were rapidly granted visas once the world body submitted their details to the PCB. READ MORE - Steve Jobs' Wife Ill at Maha Kumbh: 'Crowds Were Overwhelming'