Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan has given up on dialogue with the Indian cricket board on a bilateral series between the two countries.
“The government has made it clear we are not supposed to engage in any dialogue with the BCCI, nor give any statements on Pakistan-India cricket ties until further orders,” he said.
“We did all we could to convince them to resume bilateral ties with us but they didn’t respond in the same manner. So now even our government has said to put a lid on further discussions.”
Meanwhile, the chairman announced Karachi’s regional cricket academy was all set to be launched after a wait of nine years.
Talking to the media outside the National Stadium, the 82-year-old said the project was previously caught in a whirl of red tape but is nearing completion with Mudassar Nazar ready to lead the institution.
“Mudassar Nazar will look after the Karachi regional cricket academy besides his contribution towards Lahore’s National Cricket Academy (NCA),” he said.
Shaharyar said the PCB will be inaugurating academies throughout the country to help future players grow.
“Besides Karachi, we will be setting-up academies in Multan and Quetta as well.”
The PCB has been criticised from various quarters for slacking on academy projects across the country. Despite the mass interest and talent pool in Pakistan, there is only one finishing school for cricketers Lahore’s NCA.
Players from the rest of the country have to travel to the city to use the facility, which is largely restricted to centrally-contracted and Pakistan A team players.
Leading cricketers from Karachi have demanded an academy in the city for long, with former captain Shahid Afridi repeatedly saying youngsters and established players both need a platform where they can practice and hone their skills to compete at the highest level.
The PCB chairman added the PCB was confident about fast bowler Muhammad Amir’s UK visa for the upcoming tour of England.
Answering a question about the progress on the left-armer’s visa application, Shaharyar expressed his assurance at the process.
“Amir’s visa shouldn’t be an issue; I am travelling to Lahore shortly and will get an update once I am there. But we are confident there won’t be any complication in this regard,” he said.
Responding nonchalantly to the rumours about his removal from the PCB, Shaharyar said all such stories were false, and he was going nowhere.
“I am not going anywhere, there’s no truth to these stories,” he said.
Shaharyar was residing in Karachi for more than a week, where he spent time with his ailing mother-in-law who passed away last week.
