Cricket board snaps relations with India

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday said it has broken all cricketing relations with India after the traditional rival pulled out of next month's Sharjah Cup where Pakistan was one of the three contestants.

The chairman of the PCB, Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia added that Pakistan will not cross borders if the game's governing body allocated the International Cricket Council (ICC) knockout tournament to India.

"We have had enough and we are not going to have a rethink. Our cricket relations with India are over," an angry Tauqir said when asked to comment on India's recent decision.

Tauqir's stern reaction came hours after director of the PCB, Brig Munawwar Rana, said Pakistan would still play India in India if the knockout tournament was held there.

"We would not like to play cricket with India any more," Tauqir said but clarified that Pakistan would still send its team to Sharjah (April 8 to 20) tournament that involves Sri Lanka as well.

Tauqir slammed India for its double standards and hypocrisy.

"If they can play us in field hockey why not cricket," he said referring to the hockey tournament in Dhaka where India and Pakistan contested the final.

The general said, he would not chair the April 15 Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Sharjah in protest.

He pointed out that the ACC should seize to exist. "I would not like to chair the meeting because I don't think the ACC can function if India continue refusing to play Pakistan.

"If Asia is not together, it is just no point of having the council."