Manohar has conveyed 'his regrets' - PCB

Ten days after the Shiv Sena, a right-wing political party, stormed into the BCCI headquarters before its president's scheduled meeting with his PCB counterpart, the PCB says BCCI chief Shashank Manohar has conveyed "his regret" over the meeting's cancellation. The PCB has also said that the BCCI has sought the Indian government's directive with regard to the scheduled series between the two teams in December.

"Chairman PCB, Mr Shaharyar M Khan, has received a letter from President BCCI, Mr Shashank Manohar, regarding the cancellation of their meeting in Mumbai," a PCB statement said. "Mr Manohar has expressed his sincere regrets for the cancellation of the meeting between officials from the two boards. Under pressure from extremist elements, BCCI cancelled its meeting with PCB officials which was scheduled to take place in Mumbai.

"It has also been conveyed that the BCCI has officially approached the Indian government to obtain definitive guidance on the Pakistan-India series."

While the BCCI hasn't officially confirmed or denied having sent a communication either to the government or the PCB, it is understood, according to a BCCI official, that Manohar has written to Khan.

India's series against Pakistan has been in a state of flux ever since the two boards signed an MoU last year to play six bilateral series in the eight-year cycle from 2015 to 2023. Despite the MoU, the fate of the series hinges on the government's clearance.

Earlier this year, the series hit a roadblock when the BCCI opposed the involvement of Ten Sports, the PCB's broadcaster for all its home fixtures, for the series. Since it was believed that the Zee network, who own Ten Sports, were exploring the possibility of rebel league against the ICC, the BCCI had objected to playing in a series telecast by Ten.

Over the last couple of months, however, due to the political tensions between the two governments, the BCCI has been unable to make any clear statement about the future of the series. In July, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, a member of parliament of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had said he didn't see India playing Pakistan until the tension on the border was resolved.

There had been murmurs ahead of the scheduled meeting between Khan and Manohar on October 19 of a possibility of India playing either a shorter bilateral series against Pakistan or a tri-series also featuring Bangladesh in the latter half of December. The fate of the series continues to remain in limbo until the Indian government makes its stand clear.