Decision on Ind-Pak series lies with Pakistan PM - PCB

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said that the decision to play India in a bilateral series now rests with Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. Speaking on the sidelines of the fourth ODI between Pakistan and England in Dubai, Khan pointed out that he had travelled to the UAE specifically to watch the match and not meet BCCI president Shashank Manohar.

"I have come to watch this match," Khan said. "I have come for no other reason. I heard that Shashank is also coming. He has not reached yet. If he asks me for meeting, I will hear him out."

Khan reiterated that Pakistan's stance of not playing in India had not changed, but now the Pakistan government will take a final decision on the issue. "We have made it clear that we will not play in India and we have cited our reasons. But importantly the India-Pakistan series has now become political. So the directive that we have got from the Pakistan government and Pakistan's prime minister is he would take the decision," Khan said. "We have stated our stand in front of the prime minister as well as the BCCI. Our last hope is with the Pakistan government."

Khan also clarified that the BCCI had not yet told the PCB the exact reasons for not allowing India to play in the UAE. "He is coming here so you can ask him," Khan said when asked about whether the BCCI had offered a reason. "But I would like to point out that, as all of you remember, last year they played the IPL here [in the UAE] and it was successfully conducted."

According to Khan, ECB president Giles Clarke, too, had tried to mediate between the boards, highlighting the importance of India-Pakistan series. "Giles Clarke spoke to me yesterday and said that the series should happen for the interest of cricket. He told me the Pakistan-India series are vital for cricket," Khan said. Clarke had headed the ICC task force on Pakistan, which had looked into how the PCB could fulfill its commitments under the Future Tours Programme given the security issues following the Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka team bus. In his report, Clarke had stressed on the significance of India-Pakistan cricket, saying: "It [the severed bilateral ties] is hurting the sport, particularly in Pakistan and the PTT sees no reason why this great sporting rivalry should not be restored as soon as possible, even if on neutral soil."

However, Khan reiterated, the PCB would not go out of its way for the series to go ahead. "We have always wanted to play the series. But if India does not want to agree to the MoU signed [to play Pakistan in the UAE] we can't do anything. To expect that we will bend down on our knees due to the existing deadlock, it is not right. They have not played us for many years now. If they don't play for one or two more years, we will survive."