PCB seeks final decision on India-Pakistan series by September 29
The proposed Indian tour to Pakistan during the forthcoming winter still hangs by the thread and in an effort to end this impasse, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), General Tauqir Zia on Tuesday urged his Indian counterpart to make a
Natarajan Sriram
06-Sep-2000
The proposed Indian tour to Pakistan during the forthcoming winter
still hangs by the thread and in an effort to end this impasse, the
Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), General Tauqir Zia on
Tuesday urged his Indian counterpart to make a final decision on the
issue.
Speaking to Agence France Presse (AFP) before leaving for Dubai to
attend the Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) meeting, Zia said that the
PCB is willing to give the BCCI until September 29 to make up their
mind, after which they will pursue alternative arrangements. September
29 is also the date that has been fixed for the Annual General Body
Meeting of the BCCI in Chennai.
Zia said that in case India declined to tour Pakistan, the PCB will
have to consider seriously the possibility of playing a series against
Bangladesh or to invite a World XI to play against Pakistan.
Pakistan had earlier extended an invitation to India for a series of
three Tests and five one-day internationals from December to February.
However the series came under a cloud after the Indian Sports Ministry
refused permission for the Indian team to play the Sahara Cup in
Toronto for the second year running in wake of trouble in the Kashmir
Valley.
Zia said that whenever he met his Indian counterparts, they show avid
interest in an India-Pakistan series and rued that the BCCI's
decisions are dependent on their Government. Zia is expecting the out
come of a decision on the tour after a talk with the BCCI President AC
Muthiah whom he is meeting in Dubai.
Zia said that during his meeting he would try and convince Muthiah
that India and Pakistan should meet each other in the larger interest
of the game and added that both the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and
the Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) would be deemed successful only if
the two countries play each other.