PCB chairman rules out India dependency

The chances of a Pakistan-India series look bleak and we have to live with the fact that India are not going to play us Shaharyar Khan PCB chairman

AGENCIES, KARACHI (PAKISTAN): PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said Pakistan ‘can survive’ without playing cricket against India but hoped the BCCI would adhere to the MOU between the boards and improve the prospects of bilateral series in the future. “Given the present circumstance, the chances of a Pakistan-India series look bleak and we have to live with the fact that India are not going to play us,” Shaharyar told ESPNcricinfo. “At the same time the BCCI hasn’t formally refused us, but we can’t wait long amid this uncertainty and have got to have an alternative plan.
We will wait for another couple of months before forcing our plan B. “I hope the climate will improve but at the moment it’s more a political tension … the relationship between the countries is complex but cricket shouldn’t be suffering, it is after all something that can be a tool to lower the tension.” The BCCI had signed an MOU to play Pakistan in six series between 2015 and 2023, with the first to be hosted by the PCB in the UAE in December. As it has often done in the past - India and Pakistan did not play for 17 years because of the wars in 1965 and 71 - the strained political relationship between the countries put the series in doubt. The last full series was in 2007, when Pakistan toured India.
Bilateral ties between the two countries were snapped after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 until a limited-overs series was played in 2012-13, though India and Pakistan have faced each other in international tournaments. India’s refusal to play Pakistan in recent years has cost the PCB over $80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial deals.
“We understand the BCCI is financially very sound and we are the ones who have suffered a lot in all this,” Shaharyar said. “It’s not that we can’t survive without playing them. We are surviving, and can survive, but our position is that the game shouldn’t be mixed up with the politics. So we are trying to get the series revived based on the MOU they have signed with us. They have to honour it and if they don’t it’s their responsibility.”
Another divisive issue in the PCB is that there are two people seen to be running the board - Shaharyar and Najam Sethi. The executive committee is led by Sethi and includes the board’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and chief financial officer Badar Khan. It was formed in line with new ICC guidelines, and though its role was not defined in the PCB’s constitution, the committee is understood to be holding the majority of power in the board.

 

 

PCB chairman rules out India dependency

The chances of a Pakistan-India series look bleak and we have to live with the fact that India are not going to play us Shaharyar Khan PCB chairman

AGENCIES, KARACHI (PAKISTAN): PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said Pakistan can survive without playing cricket against India but hoped the BCCI would adhere to the MOU between the boards and improve the prospects of bilateral series in the future. Given the present circumstance, the chances of a Pakistan-India series look bleak and we have to live with the fact that India are not going to play us, Shaharyar told ESPNcricinfo. At the same time the BCCI hasnt formally refused us, but we cant wait long amid this uncertainty and have got to have an alternative plan. We will wait for another couple of months before forcing our plan B. I hope the climate will improve but at the moment its more a political tension the relationship between the countries is complex but cricket shouldnt be suffering, it is after all something that can be a tool to lower the tension. The BCCI had signed an MOU to play Pakistan in six series between 2015 and 2023, with the first to be hosted by the PCB in the UAE in December. As it has often done in the past - India and Pakistan did not play for 17 years because of the wars in 1965 and 71 - the strained political relationship between the countries put the series in doubt. The last full series was in 2007, when Pakistan toured India. Bilateral ties between the two countries were snapped after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 until a limited-overs series was played in 2012-13, though India and Pakistan have faced each other in international tournaments. Indias refusal to play Pakistan in recent years has cost the PCB over $80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial deals. We understand the BCCI is financially very sound and we are the ones who have suffered a lot in all this, Shaharyar said. Its not that we cant survive without playing them. We are surviving, and can survive, but our position is that the game shouldnt be mixed up with the politics. So we are trying to get the series revived based on the MOU they have signed with us. They have to honour it and if they dont its their responsibility. Another divisive issue in the PCB is that there are two people seen to be running the board - Shaharyar and Najam Sethi. The executive committee is led by Sethi and includes the boards chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and chief financial officer Badar Khan. It was formed in line with new ICC guidelines, and though its role was not defined in the PCBs constitution, the committee is understood to be holding the majority of power in the board.