PCB rethinking policy following Uma Bharti's clarification

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is looking afresh at its tit-for-tat policy regarding playing with India following the Indian Sports Minister Uma Bharti's statement that her government's objection was confined only to a bilateral series between the two countries.

"We have just come to know about the new stance that India's objection of playing against Pakistan is confined only to bilateral cricket matches" PCB Director of Operations Brig Munnawar Rana told The Gulf News from Lahore on Thursday.

"As far as we are concerned there is no change in our stance that if India is not playing against us we will not play against them. In the light of the latest development from India we will have to discuss the matter. We have not taken any decision on this matter so far, as we will be discussing this issue at the highest level before coming out with a statement on our stance", he said.

PCB had threatened not to play India in any tournament anywhere in the world after New Delhi refused permission to its cricket team to participate in a triangular one-day series in Sharjah last month.

However, Bharti recently clarified that in tournaments such as the World Cup and ICC KnockOut series India will play Pakistan. The government was only against a planned bilateral series, she said.