Decision on Sahara Cup this week (17 August 1999)

17 August 1999

Decision on Sahara Cup this week

The Dawn

Karachi, Aug 16: The decision on whether India would participate in the fourth edition of Sahara Cup series against Pakistan would be taken this week, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board's ad hoc committee Mujeeb-ur-Rehman said.

Speaking from Islamabad, he said International Management Group (IMG) has set the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a deadline until this week to decide about their participation.

He said J.Y Lele, secretary of the BCCI, informed IMG and him during a conference call that the Indian government has already been informed of the series. "Lele told us that he is awaiting approval from his government on whether the team should play in Toronto or not."

The series is scheduled between Sept 11 and 19. Both the boards are contractually bound to play in Canada until 2000.

Rehman stated that Pakistan was still keen to take on India despite political tension between the two countries. "We have no problems playing with India," he said.

He further told that the ad hoc committee has received accreditation forms from IMG which confirms that as far as the organizers are concerned, the series is on.

"India has also been delivered with the forms and TransWorld International (TWI) is in negotiations with the sponsors Sahara Cup. If India agrees but Sahara Group doesn't, then TWI will take the sponsors to British Court of law. This has been informed to the sponsors," he said.

Rehman said the IMG official informed that his company was spending almost half a million dollars every day and another two million would be spent. "In this background, they say that if India doesn't come then the organizers reserve the right to claim the damages."

Rehman said he stressed India to inform of its decision as soon as possible because he has to prepare his own team.

"We can't collect 14 players and fly them to Toronto. A proper training camp has to be organized and best available players (physically and form wise) have to be picked. Since the players haven't played any cricket since June 20, the training camp is extremely essential and will need time to be organized," he stated.

Source :: The Dawn (www.dawn.com)