Pakistan ‘not optimistic’ about playing India
DUBAI — Pakistan’s cricket chief said Tuesday he was not optimistic about resuming ties with India after Hindu extremists sabotaged talks between the two sides.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan was due to meet Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Shashank Manohar Monday but the meeting was canceled after far-right activists stormed the Mumbai office in protest at the dialogue.
Shaharyar said his hopes of talks being rescheduled Tuesday in the Indian capital were dashed after he failed to hear from the BCCI bosses.
“I came here to engage with the BCCI (but) there has been absolutely no word as to how they intend to move forward from here,” Shaharyar told reporters in New Delhi.
“It is very clear there are pressures here that are preventing the BCCI from taking a position vis-a-vis the series.
“I am not optimistic now after what has happened here,” he said, referring to the storming of BCCI premises by activists of Shiv Sena, a junior ally of the ruling right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.
India and Pakistan have not played a full series since 2007 after New Delhi halted all bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan following the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. India had blamed militants based in Pakistan for the attacks.
The archrivals, however, signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which they agreed to play six series between 2015-2023, all pending clearance from the two governments.
The first of that series comprising two Tests, five one-day and two Twenty20s is scheduled for December and January in the United Arab Emirates.
Shaharyar, also a former foreign secretary and high commissioner, said he could not “wait forever” to hear from BCCI bosses on the fate of the series in UAE.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who is the head of BJP’s youth wing and an influential MP, Monday virtually ruled out playing Pakistan until political tensions eased significantly.
Shaharyar meanwhile ruled out Pakistan’s withdrawal from the World Twenty20 series to be held in India in March and April next year.
“No, I don’t see that and hope things will improve by then,” Shaharyar told AFP earlier in the day, responding to calls from former Pakistan players to pull out of the ICC (International Cricket Council) event.
“Our stance has always been that cricket and politics should be kept separate and we maintain that stance,” said Shaharyar.
Pakistan gets Yasir boost
Pakistan will be looking to fit-again leg-spinner Yasir Shah to lift its performance in the second Test against England starting in Dubai from Thursday.
Shah missed the drawn first Test in Abu Dhabi with a back spasm. But he is back to full fitness and was able to bowl without any pain in the nets, something which Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq sees as a big positive. Pakistan will likely to bring in Shah in place of paceman Rahat Ali. — Agencies
