Dalai Lama pulls out of inauguration

The Dalai Lama will no longer inaugurate the the opening game of the series between India and Pakistan at Dharamsala due to Pakistan's apprehensions that the encounter could turn political.

A spokesperson for the Dalai Lama said in a statement that, "The general thinking of Dalai Lama is not to cause inconvenience to any party," and explained that since there were reservations over his inauguration of the game, the Dalai Lama would withdraw.

The Indian Express reported that Abbas Zaidi, the Pakistan team's manager, was quoted in a Pakistan newspaper as having said the team would "not take part in any social activity, even those involving the Lama". The PCB had expressed their fears to the BCCI, who responded that the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association had invited the Dalai Lama, not them.

With the Dalai Lama's withdrawal, the state board invited the rather less-controversial state governor, VS Kokje.