BCCI's strong protest against Nasir's remarks

Not unexpectedly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has reacted sharply to Brig. Md Nasir's unwarranted remarks, made in Colombo earlier in the week. Speaking at a press conference called to formally launch the Singer Cup tri series, the manager of the Pakistan team in Sri Lanka laid the blame for the betting and match fixing scandal squarely on India. ``It all started with your country,'' he was quoted as saying in response to a query from an Indian journalist.

The BCCI on Thursday faxed a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board director Yaver Saeed, protesting strongly against Nasir's outburst. The BCCI president AC Muthiah cautioned the PCB to restrain its officials from making such sweeping statements. ``The BCCI strongly protests and request you to kindly ask all concerned and your team manager in Sri Lanka to refrain from making such statements when the investigating agencies are examining these issues at various levels.''

BCCI secretary JY Lele said that the BCCI and PCB officials had discussed in London the possibility of India visiting Pakistan to play a Test series in early 2001. ``We are seriously considering the proposal from Pakistan. In the light of these developments, Brig. Nasir ought not to be making loose statements. His remarks are out of place and unwarranted. On the one side the relations between the officials of the BCCI and PCB are so cordial and on the other side, your team manager makes such baseless and unnecessary remarks,'' he said.

BCCI sources, explaining the delay in the reaction to Nasir's remarks, said this was because Muthiah was in Varanasi on a personal visit. He spoke to Lele on the issue only on Thursday.