The relationship between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Cricket Board is likely to suffer if Bangladesh do not go ahead with the proposed tour to Pakistan in April because of security concerns, ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday. An implicit deal had been reached by the two boards, according to which the PCB backed BCB president Mustafa Kamal as the nominee for the ICC vice-presidency and Bangladesh would tour Pakistan in 2012. “Ultimately, its Bangladesh’s loss if they don’t send their team,” Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of PCB was quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“We are helping them and want to have a positive relationship not only with Bangladesh, but all the nations. We want to strengthen our relationship. We have been sending our players to feature in their leagues and we expect them to respect our positive approach, after all everything is on reciprocal basis.” The website understands that the BCB, despite being satisfied by the proposed security arrangements for the tour to Pakistan, is seeking some support from other countries, but none has been forthcoming. A nine-member delegation had been sent on a visit to Pakistan to observe a demonstration of the security plan for the series, and Kamal had said he was positive about the tour going ahead.
But he then put the future of the tour in doubt by saying, “We won’t go if everything doesn’t happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match-referees, umpires and all things by the ICC.”
While the PCB did not respond to Kamal’s comments, a board official said the BCB was being leaned on by another country. “We are informed of a third-country pressure on BCB,” a PCB official reported to have said. “We understand most of the member boards aren’t keen to support our move, but we are very much clear of what would be required to give Bangladesh the confidence to come to Pakistan. And we did exactly what we have to do — we have engaged the government at the superior level to satisfy Bangladesh with the security arrangements.” Since the attacks, Pakistan have played their home bilateral series at offshore venues such as New Zealand, England and the UAE but the PCB saw no commercial advantage in hosting Bangladesh at such venues. Ashraf, who is now in Dhaka for the end of the Asia Cup, will make a final attempt to allay any doubts Bangladesh might have. The PCB also ruled out the possibility of talks with the Indian board. “There’s no use of asking India any further,” Ashraf said. “Their board doesn’t want to play us and that’s clearly understood.”