Valletta (Malta): India on Friday said no decision has been taken on holding of a cricket series with Pakistan, days after BCCI sought government’s clearance on resuming cricketing ties with the neighbouring country.
“No decision has been taken on the India-Pakistan cricket series,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said here.
He is here accompanying External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who is attending the 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had on Wednesday said the Indian Cricket board has approached the central government for clearance to play Pakistan in Sri Lanka in December. The BCCI has to get clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs on the matter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has apparently got the government nod.
With only a month’s window available after India finish their Test Series against South Africa on December 7, the much-awaited series is likely to be confined to three ODIs and two T20 Internationals instead of the original five ODIs, two Tests and as many T20 Internationals.
Sri Lanka had emerged as the host for the series between the arch-rivals after India refused to play in the UAE.
The proceedings had been fast-tracked once BCCI president and current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar met PCB chairman Shahryar Khan and senior official Najam Sethi in the presence of ECB supremo and chairman of ‘Pakistan Task Force’ Giles Clarke, who is was likely to make the series announcement on Friday.
In New Delhi, Hockey India chief Narinder Batra meanwhile blasted the BCCI for deciding to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan at a time when soldiers are dying in the line of duty.
The BCCI is awaiting the government nod to play Pakistan in Sri Lanka, a complete change of stance from the world’s richest cricket board months after its secretary Anurag Thakur had ruled out revival of cricketing ties with arch-rivals until cross-border terrorism stopped.
Whatever the government’s decision may be, the BCCI’s decision has not gone down well with the Indian hockey boss.
“Colonel Santosh Mahadik was martyred only a week ago and BCCI wants to play cricket with Pakistan. I am appalled at BCCI’s change of stance. They (BCCI) were thinking differently as recent as July with Anurag Thakur ruling out ties with Pakistan until terrorism stops. Now a change of leadership under Shashank Manohar has led to a change of heart,” Batra said.
— PTI
