The Pakistan government on Thursday gave the green signal to the country's cricket team to participate in the forthcoming World Twenty20 tournament in India, scheduled to start on March 8. The announcement laid to rest weeks of uncertainty over whether the team would travel to India, as the Pakistan Cricket Board had said it was wait for the government's permission, after receiving "threats from extremists in India".

PCB chairman Shahryar Khan said, "I am pleased that our government has given its consent for our team to visit India. As a duty of care, we have asked [the International Cricket Council] to put in place special arrangements for the Pakistan cricket team while in India. We will also be expecting visa facilitation and other arrangements for the Pakistani fans wishing to visit India for the ICC World Twenty20 2016."

Pakistan are scheduled to play four games in the group stage of the tournament, including a highly anticipated clash against India in Dharamsala on March 19.