INDO-PAK CRICKET

PCB seek clarity on India series

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

India and Pakistan signed a MOU to play each other in six series between 2015-2023 © Cricbuzz

Pakistan's cricket chief Shaharyar Khan on Wednesday, wrote a letter to BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur pressing him for an update on a proposed series between the arch rivals in December this year. A two Tests, five one-day and one Twenty20 series in United Arab Emirates is shrouded in uncertainty with political relations between India and Pakistan at one of their lowest ebbs.

The two countries have not played a full series against each other since 2007, though Pakistan toured India for a short series in December 2012. "I have written a letter to Mr Thakur, in the main saying that cricket and politics should be kept apart," Khan told AFP.

"I am positive that the BCCI shall be able to convince the Indian government that it ought to honour its MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the PCB," he added.

Last year PCB and BCCI had signed a MoU under which they were scheduled to play six series in the 2015-2023 Future Tours Programme, but all were subject to clearance from New Delhi. Khan, a former foreign secretary and a career diplomat, said that strained relations should not affect cricket.

"While relations between Pakistan and India have seen its share of ups and downs, cricket should be kept out of it," he said.

The two cricket boards also differed over TV broadcast rights - BCCI is not keen on doing business with Ten Sports, Pakistan cricket's official broadcaster - and Shahryar wrote in the letter, "We have given the broadcasting rights to Ten Sports and the International Cricket Council (ICC) accepts the channel's bid."

"It's not that we can't survive without playing them (India)," Shaharyar had ESPNCricinfo last week. "We are surviving, and can survive, but our position is that the game shouldn't be mixed up with the politics. So we are trying to get the series revived based on the MOU they have signed with us. They have to honour it and if they don't it's their responsibility."

Thakur has previously said that the countries' cricket teams should not meet while political relations remain fraught, saying cricket cannot be played with bullets. "On one hand there is a rise in terrorist activity, on the other you can't expect to play a cricket series with Pakistan," Thakur said in July.

But last week Thakur softened his stance, telling a private television channel in Pakistan that a series was possible. "If situation improves I cannot rule out cricket series in December," Thakur said. "I toured Pakistan in 2004 and was overwhelmed, and when Pakistan toured India the following year I distributed sweets on their captain's (Inzamam-ul-Haq) birthday."

© Cricbuzz

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