New Delhi: High-profile series between arch-rivals India and Pakistan has been hanging in balance for quite some time now. All kinds of speculations have been made regarding the series, but it's still not clear whether the two countries will resume their bilateral cricketing ties all over again.
However, few days back, PTI's reliable sources broke the news that there was a possibility that the series could be reduced to two ODIs and two T20 matches and might be held between December 24 and January 5.
Will wait for 2 more days, after that series is off: Shaharyar Khan
But on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj remained tight-lipped on Indo-Pak cricket series after meeting her Pakistan counterpart Sartaj Aziz.
Many were expecting an announcement regarding the cricket series after her meeting with Aziz.
Karachi: With time running out for the proposed India-Pakistan cricket series, the PCBhas said it would call off the much-talked-about rubber if the Indian government does not give its approval in the next couple of days.
"After that the series will be off," he said.
Khan said chances of the series being organised now were very bleak since the resumption of cricketing ties between the two countries was not discussed by the Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj during her meetings with Pakistani officials in Islamabad.
"To be honest the chances of the series being held now are very bleak because we have been told cricket was not discussed in the meeting between the Indian foreign minister and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," Khan said.
"If the series is not held we stand to lose out on around USD 40 to 50 million and we had already started making preparations for the series in Sri Lanka which included hotel bookings," the PCB chief told PTI.
"We were hopeful that there would be good news when cricket was discussed in the meeting between the Indian minister and Pakistani officials but that has not happened. We are disappointed."
Khan said the PCB will review its future policies and brief its governing board members on the developments.
"Not having the Indian series is a big setback for us financially. And we were expecting that the Indian board would get clearance from its government as they have signed a proper MOU with us. We also need to look at the future of the rest of the series laid out in this document."
To a question, Khan said Pakistan's participation in the World T20 in India in March will depend on getting permission from its government.
"The government had given clearance for us to play a short series with India in Sri Lanka but that has not happened so far," he added.
Can't play cricket with Pakistan when people are dying on border: Anurag Thakur's U-turn
Amid all the controversies surrounding the series, if a short series takes place between both the countries by the end or start of the new year, it would be the best gift for the cricket lovers from across the borders.
“I think you have to take a call (on) whether there should not be any talks. Let other countries go to UN and let other boards go to ICC for decisions, but you have to decide if you want to engage with them. So I think you have to decide diplomatically what call to take. If you engage (with Pakistan), then you can raise the issue of terrorism as well as cricket as well as trade. But if you don’t engage, you give that opportunity to someone else,” said Thakur.
Thakur had also voiced his opinion saying since India were playing cricket with Pakistan in different tournaments, there's no point why they shouldn't play a bilateral series.
© cricketonline.org
written by ~ CHARITHARDHA
0 comments:
Post a Comment