BCCI and PCB discuss resumption of bilateral ties

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan had a discussion with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president about the possibility of resuming the bilateral series ties at neutral venues.

According to reports, Khan met with BCCI president Anurag Thakur on the sidelines of the ICC meetings in Edinburgh this week and raised the issue of resuming bilateral ties.

“A proposal has been floated that it is about time that the two boards worked out a proper calendar for bilateral series at neutral venues,” a source was quoted saying.

He said that the proposal was that the two countries should take part in a full bilateral series every two years. “The PCB chief said Pakistan would be willing to play in India when it was the turn of the BCCI to host the series. While when it was Pakistan’s turn to host the series it would be held at a neutral venue finalized by consensus,” the source added.

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The source said that both the board heads said that they need to discuss with their governments to get the clearance for a full bilateral series sometime in late 2016 or 2017.

“Shaharyar made it clear that Pakistan had suffered the loss of revenues in millions because of India’s refusal to play a proper bilateral series since 2007 and it was the time the two boards reached a proper agreement on this with the involvement of the ICC,” he said.

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PCB tried to push the BCCI to honor a MOU signed between the two boards in 2014. Under the MOU, India and Pakistan are to play six bilateral series from 2015 to 2023. Khan also discussed plans to have a mini IPL in UAE by the Indian board.