Cricketing ties between India and Pakistan are frozen due to strained relations between the two countries. (Express Archive) Cricketing ties between India and Pakistan are frozen due to strained relations between the two countries. (Express Archive)

The already strained cricketing ties between India and Pakistan further deteriorated after Pakistan Cricket Board field a compensation claim of USD 70 million against BCCI for not honouring the agreement to hold a bilateral cricket series between the two countries. Now, BCCI officials believe India may end up losing the Asia Cup 2018, which will take place in June 2018, in case it did not come to a conclusion on whether to host Pakistan or not.

Speaking to Times of India, a BCCI official said, “If we didn’t get the permission to host the Pakistan’s Under-19 team from the Centre, it looks highly unlikely that we’ll get to do so in case of their senior team.”

The sporting ties between the two countries are frozen due to strained international relations between the two countries. The BCCI official, in its statement to TOI added that government has not yet taken a decision on whether Pakistan cricketers will be allowed to play in India.

“The Pakistan athletes were given visas to take part in the Asian Athletics Championships, but the government says that cricket’s case is a bit different, since it has an emotional connect with people from both the countries. When we approached the government with a request, we didn’t get any response from them, but we need to decide fast since we need to inform the ACC soon,” the official was quoted as saying.

Earlier, the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) had discussed the possibility of hosting the tournament in another country. A minute-of-meeting of COA, dated November 21, said,”It’s not clear whether the government of India will allow the Pakistan team to travel to India for the tournament. If not, then the BCCI needs to inform the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) of the same so that an alternate host country can be finalised.”

The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2012-13 in India featuring three ODis and two T20Is.

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