Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to not take any decision on the Indo-Pak cricket series without the Governments approval. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had earlier said that he will oppose Pakistan cricket team’s tour to India and that he will raise the matter with the Prime Minister. The Interior Minister was of the opinion that after Shiv Sena’s recent hate-driven campaign against Pakistan it was not appropriate for the country’s cricket team to tour India.
Chairman of the PCB Executive Committee, Najam Sethi, recently also rejected the idea of staging Pakistan’s ‘home series’ in India, and reiterated that it was time the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honored the agreement it has signed with Pakistan regarding the series. PCB chairman Shahryar Khan has also questioned the BCCI for delaying the Pakistan-India series.
It is pertinent to mention that BCCI chief Shashank Manohar proposed a limited-over series with Pakistan last week, comprising of five one-day and two Twenty20 internationals, but clearly stated that the Indian team would not be traveling to Pakistan or UAE for the matches.
Pakistan and India had signed a memorandum of understanding in 2014 that Pakistan would host their next series after India had staged their previous two meetings. It is hard to understand why the BCCI is so reluctant to play Pakistan in Pakistan or a neutral venue, perhaps the reasons is the monetary benefits that hosting a series in India will bring to BCCI or it could be owing to the fear of greater chances of losing to Pakistan which has not never been taken well by Indian fans. The decision to not tour India is commendable and need of the hour amid increasing hostilities from India.
The decision is commendable and need of the hour amid increasing hostilities from India.