India-Pakistan series not in current scenario: Home Ministry

When asked about the BCCI considering Dubai as a venue, a BCCI official said. “If the government gives the green signal then the BCCI will decide where to play. If there is no approval from the government then we can invite other countries to play in that particular window. That is why the board had sent a letter to the ministry to clear their stand with regards to playing Pakistan.” Earlier, former board president Shashank Manohar wanted to host Pakistan for a short series in 2016 but did not get government clearance owing to tensions between the two countries and the subsequent terror attacks on Indian soil. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s cricketers, past and present, have told the PCB not to expect the BCCI to schedule any bilateral series with the country in the near future.

Told about reports from across the border that the BCCI had written to India’s external affairs ministry for clearance to play against Pakistan this November, former captain Javed Miandad was reported to have burst out laughing. “They just want to play around with us as always. They are least interested in playing us in a bilateral series,” Miandad said. He noted that in the last few years, Pakistan had made all efforts to get India to resume playing bilateral series, but with no success. “They make one excuse or the other. This latest sweet trap is perhaps to convince Pakistani officials to not bring up the issue of bilateral series with India at the ICC meeting next month,” he said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said it would discuss the issue with the ICC. Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq said it was good news if India were seriously pursuing the option of playing with Pakistan. “I don’t know what is happening, apart from what comes in the media, but if they want to resume bilateral series this year it would be a big boost for both Pakistan and Indian cricket and fans,” Misbah said. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, reacting to media reports, said that so far the BCCI had not spoken to him about playing in a possible series in November. “They (the BCCI) have not said anything officially to us so far, so we are just going by the media reports. But if it is correct then we will also have to get clearance from our government,” Khan said.

Pakistan’s former captain Rashid Latif said the PCB should take the Indian board seriously only when it confirms in writing that it has received clearance from its government. “Until then the PCB should pursue its case in the ICC and use all legal means to get compensation from India for the number of times they have refused to play us at neutral venues,” Latif said.

(With PTI inputs)