Government vetoes Pakistan tour

India's proposed tour of Pakistan this winter has been annulled by the Indian Government. The decision came after high level consultations between the Ministries of Sports, External Affairs and Home and the Prime Minister's Office, according to Press Trust of India. Sports Minister Uma Bharati who met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in this connection on Tuesday night told reporters on Wednesday that "under the existing bilateral relationship, no tour could be undertaken by the Indian cricket team to that country."

The decision was not unexpected ever since India withdrew from the bilateral one-day series in Toronto in September for the second year in a row. It was announced to coincide with the November 15 deadline which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had set its Indian counterpart, failing which it would make alternative arrangements.

Board secretary Jaywant Lele, when contacted by PTI in Baroda, said he had received no intimation from the Government so far. In Lahore, PCB chief Tauqir Zia expressed his dismay over the decision. "Although we have not been informed about the cancellation of the tour we have got confirmed news that India's tour is off - it's disappointing," Zia told reporters during the first Test between Pakistan and England.

PCB officials had told Dawn in October that the Board stood to lose around $15 million (Rs 70 crore), including $4.5 million from TV rights, if the series against India failed to materialise. Zia suggested that the PCB would now take a fresh look at all forthcoming engagements between the two nations, even in multilateral events. "This puts us in a position where we would like to review our relationship with India and may not play them even in offshore, trinations, one-day events," he said.

"We will protest officially with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and ask them to include a clause whereby governments of Test playing countries are not allowed to interfere in cricket," Zia added. He disclosed that ICC Chairman Malcolm Gray had interceded with the Indian government to get the tour confirmed but without success.

Since 1989 when Kris Srikkanth led a team across the border for a full Test series, India has visited their neighbours just once, in 1997 for a three match one-day series. Pakistan is scheduled to host the next edition of the Asia Cup in May and the Asian Test Championships in September. The decision has put a question mark over India's participation in these events as well as a triangular series in Sharjah involving both neighbours and Sri Lanka in April, especially in light of the strong Pakistani reaction. Zia put a brave face, declaring that "We will host the Asia Cup irrespective of whether India comes or not and the Asian Test Championship whether they play us or not."

Pakistan and Bangladesh have already drawn up plans for back to back Tests in either country in January 2001 in anticipation of the Indian tour failing to go through. With all other Test playing nations having a crowded schedule over the winter, the Indian players will in all likelihood be confined to showcasing their skills in domestic competitions from the middle of December to the middle of February when the Australians arrive for a three Test series.