Senior Indian players wanted Pak tour off

MUMBAI, Jan 9: A few senior cricketers, including Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin, had expressed their reservations about playing the ...

MUMBAI, Jan 9: A few senior cricketers, including Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin, had expressed their reservations about playing the forthcoming two-Test series against Pakistan which were shot down by the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI).

Confirming the press reports to this effect, BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele said from Baroda that some senior players wanted the series to be shelved as they thought there would be “too much tension when playing Pakistan”.“Coach Anshuman Gaekwad had spoken to the board on behalf of the players but we (Lele and BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur) clearly told him that those who did not want to play were welcome to do so but they will be out of contention for the World Cup,” Lele told pti.

“The players felt that losing to New Zealand and Zimbabwe may be tolerated by the public but not a defeat against Pakistan,” Lele said.

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“Gaekwad was only airing some of the feelings of the players,” Lele said.The Board, which supports several domestic and junior-level tournamentson the strength of money generated by way of television and advertisement rights, would gain $ 2.7 million from the Trans World International (TWI) for exclusive TV production rights of the series as per an agreement.

But the entire amount of $ 2.7 million would reach the Board’s coffers only if 27 days’ of international cricket coverage is assured by the BCCI at the rate of dollars one hundred thousand per day.

India and Pakistan are scheduled to play the Tests in the bilateral series at Delhi (January 28-Feb 1) and Chennai (February 4-8) before the two countries and World Cup holders Sri Lanka get involved in a Tri-Nation series (six league ties and the final) from March 19-April 3.

At least part of the agreement with TWI, in effect 17 days of TV coverage, would be met as per the schedule drawn up by the Indian Board (two five-day Tests and seven One-Day Internationals).

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But the tour, the first by Pakistan to play Tests after more than a decade, has already run into rough weather following theincident of pitch-digging at Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Wednesday night by a few Shiv Sena activists.

Pakistan and India are also slated to meet each other in a Test match at Calcutta from February 16-20 which is part of the inaugural Asian Test Championship, with Lanka being the third team in the fray, conducted by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

Imran calls for Thackeray’s arrest

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket hero-turned politician Imran Khan today lashed out at Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray and demanded his arrest for “preaching violence and vandalism for the past nine years”.

“Bal Thackeray should be put in jail as for the past nine years he has been above law and has slanted every law in the constitution,” Imran said.

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Imran said the Sena leader “has generated hatred for minorities in India.”“It will be tragedy if the tour is cancelled,” Imran said urging cricket officials in the two countries not to allow a handful of “miscreants” to destroy the game ofcricket.

“This man has got away with all hatred towards minorities,” he said and added, “I don’t know why he has been allowed to do all this by Indian Government.”

“Thackeray is a bully and by nature a coward so he has been spreading hatred…. He is making life miserable for minorities in India,” Imran said.He stressed there was no frenzy in Pakistan, adding, “has any group in Pakistan ever done what happened in India?"

Imran praised the hospitality of Indians saying they always welcomed him.He said the Pakistan-India series will give ideal preparation to both countries for the ensuing 1999 World Cup.