Pakistan consider World Twenty20 boycott

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Pakistan's cricketing authorities are considering boycotting the 2016 World Twenty20 in India, should December's series not go ahead.

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar Khan, was scheduled to meet the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar in Mumbai this week to discuss the series.

However, talks have been put on hold after security concerns were raised following anti-Pakistan protests by right-wing political party Shiv Sena in India.

Khan has already written to Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif outlining the situation and he acknowledges the consequences of pulling out of next year's ICC tournament.

"My own feeling is that we will have to go to our government and talk to them about the situation," Khan said.

"What I feel is that the government will say, 'Do not go to an ICC tournament in India'. That is what I sense because of the uncertain situation for a Pakistani in India.

"You have seen the situation there. In this environment, how can we say? We will not have security enough there."

He added: "Maybe the ICC would say, 'You have forfeited the matches' and that's fine, we will forfeit the matches. But the decisions will only be taken when the doors [on the bilateral series] are finally closed.

"To me, the possibility of an Indo-Pak series is close to over.

"There are two points in that. First, all doors [to the resumption of bilateral ties] have to be closed. We will then decide on the matter in one week or so.

"India hasn't confirmed or said anything, but are delaying it. We will have to decide that this series cannot happen, and after that we will decide what our policy is."

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