India going back on its commitment: ACC secretary

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Tuesday night accused India of "going back" on its "commitment" to play in the second edition of the Asian Test Championship beginning at Multan on Aug 29 and said the council would go ahead with the holding of the event.

Reacting to Indian government's decision not to take part in the championship, ACC secretary Zakir Sayed told PTI in Islamabad that the entire ACC programme, including the India-Pakistan match, was drawn up with the "permission of the Indian government."

"It was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India AC Muthiah who had obtained permission from the government and worked out the ATC schedule at the ACC meeting in Lahore sometime back," Syed said.

"Having given permission to the competition, it is strange on the part of India to go back on its own commitment," he said.

Syed said "we have tried our best to take India along but it is sad that India have chosen to opt out."

He said both the Pakistan Cricket Board and the ACC would suffer financial losses due to India's absence from the competition as the rights for the telecast of the ATC matches have already been firmed up.

But, Syed said, the ACC would "emerge stronger" out of the development.