PCB to react after hearing from BCCI

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday said it would officially react to India's decision to pull out of the Asian Test Championship after formally hearing from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

PCB's media in-charge Khalid Bhutt told PTI over phone from Lahore that PCB President and ACC Chairman Lt Gen Tauquir Zia has asked him to convey to the media that PCB would not react until it officially received a communication from BCCI.

"We deal with BCCI and not with the Indian Government. The whole ACC Test Championship programme is fixed with the consent of the BCCI. Let them inform us," Bhutt said.

"The news was surprising as India has been playing against Pakistan in volleyball, bridge and other tournaments. Also, India has agreed to take part in the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games to be held in Islamabad in October. When that is the case, why this discrimination against cricket?" he asked.

ACC secretary Zakir Sayed said on Tuesday night that the tournament would go ahead without India.

Expressing surprise at the Indian decision, he said the entire schedule was fixed after BCCI chief AC Muthiah confirmed the Indian participation. The BCCI officials also submitted a letter from the Indian Government at the Lahore meeting in May agreeing to the Indian team's participation.

Stating that India's withdrawal from the tournament was a major setback, he said it would create financial loss to both PCB as well as ACC as they stand to lose both gate money as well as the television rights.

"The championship will go on, there is no doubt about that. But the decision will result in financial loss to the event managers," Sayed said and added the PCB suffered $15 million loss when the Indian team pulled of the scheduled tour early this year.

India's decision would also hit ICC's ten-year plan for a six, he said adding it was up to ICC to decide how to deal with a such a situation.

The ACC Test Championship schedule was finalised at the ACC meeting in Lahore in May this year which was attended by BCCI President Muthiah and secretary Jaywant Lele. The India-Pakistan Test match was scheduled to be held in Karachi from September 13 to 17.

The news of the Indian Government's decision was published prominently in the Pakistan media on the front pages.

Pakistan has already selected 27 probables to play in the ACC Test Championship beginning from August 29 with Pakistan playing Bangladesh at the newly built stadium in Multan. The Bangladesh team arrived in Karachi on Tuesday.