India to Pak: Reconsider decision on Ahmedabad

“The government has told Pakistan that it is committed to providing full security and did not envisage any problem with the match being played in Ahmedabad,” he said.

Shukla also said that other than Ahmedabad, Pakistan had no reservation over any of the proposed venues for the three-Test and five-match one-day series. “Barring Ahmedabad, the Pakistan Cricket Board has no reservation over other venues,” he said.

The request was made following a one-hour meeting that External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh held with the BCCI vice-president at his residence last night.

Shukla said all communications were being made at the government level adding the itinerary for the tour, slated to begin on Feb 25, would be finalised in the next few days.

The development comes close on the heels of PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan citing “political reasons” for its reservations over playing in Ahmedabad. “Yes, we have expressed our inability and our reservations are based on political reasons,” Shaharyar said in karachi.

He confirmed writing a letter to the BCCI in this regard and said PCB did not even want to play a one-dayer in the capital city of Gujarat.

“Since our objections are politically based, we thought it better to completely ignore the centre instead of agreeing to play a shorter version of the game there,” he said.