India government not giving clearance for series: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan recently spoke about the reasons why the board is keen on playing a series with India. He cited that India have not played a full bilateral series with Pakistan since 2007. In a conversation with the AFP, Khan mentioned that the BCCI is willing to play Pakistan but it is the Indian government that is not giving any clearance for the series.

“But at the moment they can’t do anything as their government is not giving clearance for such a series. So even our hands are tied now,” he said. He was absolutely miffed at the speculations that the PCB has been ‘begging’ BCCI to schedule a bilateral series. He remarked that it is not the case of begging but being diplomatic. He cited that the board had incurred heavy losses after having missed two full bilateral series against India.

“I don’t think we are begging the Indians to play with us. That is a wrong presumption. But in international cricket, a Board has to pursue its own interests in a diplomatic manner and we do that,” Shaharyar Khan noted.

He added that the BCCI had agreed to play 6 series in the MoU signed in 2014 at the ICC meeting. “We have lost two home series against them and that has cost us millions of dollars in revenues. They also signed a MOU with us in 2014 at the ICC meeting and agreed to a schedule of six series. So we are justified if we are pursuing this matter,” he added.

Lastly, he conceded that they need to cover up for the losses due to which they have put up the matter in the ICC. “That is the reason we have raised the issue at the ICC level and we want some funds to make up for India not playing with us in our home series. We have told them (BCCI) they should let us know their policy so that we can plan other things,” said the PCB Chairman.

In the recent times, there have been news about an international team being in line to tour Pakistan. The PCB Chief Executive refused to leak a name. Later, it emerged that either Sri Lanka or West Indies could tour Pakistan next year. However, the Sri Lankan board denied any such reports. Now, another PCB source revealed that they are in talk with the West Indies team for a tour to Pakistan next year.

“The PCB is in talks and has offered the West Indies state security to visit Pakistan for the three T20 matches and in return Pakistan will play them in three T20 matches in Florida before flying to the Caribbean for the full test tour next year in April-May,” the source quoted.