The Pakistan Cricket Board believes that everything is in the air as far as resumption of bilateral series with India is concerned and it does not expect any progress on the issue until the BCCI holds a formal meeting with its new officials.
“The truth is that right now everything is in the air. And even our policy on resuming bilateral cricket ties with India would only be made once we get a formal invitation from the Indians for a meeting or for next year’s series in India,” PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad was quoted by a website. Referring to different statements emanating on the subject, Ahmad said even during the recent meeting of the ICC chief executives in London, there was no formal discussions between the two boards.
“The secretary of the Indian board didn’t come for the ICC meeting and his replacement was not aware of the situation on bilateral cricket ties. So no formal discussions were held,” he said.
Subhan said that the PCB would only be able to take a decision on touring India next year when the BCCI came around to sending a formal invitation or to have talks.
“Our line is very clear: even now we want resumption of bilateral cricket ties with India as soon as possible. But obviously we also have in mind that India has to compensate us for the FTP tour they didn’t undertake in early 2009,” he said.
“We are not laying any conditions but these are issues that need to be discussed properly. Then there is the issue of government clearances as well. So a lot of work needs to be done but as yet no formal discussions have taken place between the two boards,” Ahmad added.
The PCB official said Pakistan wanted some compensatory series or matches for the cancelled series in 2009.
“But until now even internally we have not discussed this or decided on a policy regarding bilateral ties with India and that will only happen once they send us an official invitation for a meeting or next year’s tour. “Only then will we decide on the line we adopt regarding bilateral ties with India,” he said.
Incidentally, Subhan has also been nominated, along with James Sutherland of Australia, on an ICC sub-committee that will work out the terms of agreement between the ICC and its member nations for the next Future Tours Program that will last from 2012 to 2020.
The PCB official noted that until the Indian board made a formal invitation, nothing could move forward. “There are a lot of pending issues to discuss with the Indians but these need to be done at a formal level,” he added.
