London terror attack: Hours after the terror strike, which claimed the lives of six people and injured 30, the hotel in which the Indian cricket team is currently lodged in Birmingham for the 2017 Champion’s Trophy has been put under lockdown as a security measure, according to an NDTV report. India will face arch rivals Pakistan at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham today. According to an India Today report, visitors and cars are not allowed into the Hyatt Regency hotel in Birmingham where the Indian cricket team is staying.
While bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries have been suspended for all means and purposes, Sports Minister Vijay Goel had said that the government won’t have a say in India playing Pakistan in a multilateral tournament overseas such as the ICC Champions Trophy.
As per reports both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been alerted by the British authorities and have also been informed that adequate security arrangements have been made, according to the Indian Express.
The Indian Express also reported that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has also released a statement to assure people that security precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of those coming to watch the match. The ICC statement stated, “We are working with authorities to review security arrangements. Security arrangements have been at the center of the preparations. We have been constantly reviewing procedures to guarantee a safe environment for spectators”.