PCB chief still confident of resumption of Indo-Pak cricketing ties

Najam Sethi was elected as the new PCB chairman on Wednesday following the stepping down of Shaharyar Khan. The former chief had already given his resignation earlier during the year after serving his three-year term. Najam Sethi, who is the 30th chairman of PCB, is a veteran journalist with a keen interest in cricket.

Shaharyar left with a tinge of disappointment

The outgoing Shaharyar tried his best to resume cricketing ties between rivals India and Pakistan but failed multiple times. The BCCI could not get clearance from the Indian government to go ahead with any bilateral series in the last few years. The last time both teams played in a bilateral series was in December 2012, when Pakistan visited India for a short tour of limited overs cricket. Both teams last played in a Test match against each other in 2007. Shaharyar expressed disappointment in not been able to restore the bilateral series between both neighbors. He served as the chief between 2003 and 2006, where he was successful in arranging three series between both countries.

“The biggest failure for me is to not restore the bilateral series between Pakistan and India. In my last tenure [2004-2006], I had succeeded in restoring it and we played thrice with our neighbors,” Khan had said.

“I did my best this time too and also faced a lot of criticism for it as critics termed it ‘begging’. But it was not begging, we were just trying to force the BCCI to fulfill the commitment it had made with us through the MoUs signed with Najam Sethi in 2014,” he added.

MoU not honored by India, Sethi remains positive

PCB and BCCI had signed a MoU in 2014 which stated that both teams will play each other in six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023 but no efforts have been made by the BCCI to fulfill this commitment despite several requests from their counterparts. The new PCB chief, Sethi, still dreams of making the improbable happen. However, he conceded that the prospect of a series hinges on the political relationship between both countries.

“I think that as soon as relations between India and Pakistan improve, the Indian government will permit the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) to participate in a bilateral series,” the Dawn quoted Sethi as saying.

Despite the non-existent bilateral series, both teams continue to play each other in major ICC events. India has had a tight lid over their arch-rivals in big tournaments but Pakistan proved themselves by handing India a heavy defeat in the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June.