Monday, May 29, 2017

Dubai: Just before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sat down to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to play six bilateral series between them between 2015 and 2023 in Dubai, India’s sports minister threw a spanner in the works by ruling out any possibility of bilateral series between the countries.

The PCB had sent a notice of dispute to the BCCI claiming that they encountered huge losses due to BCCI’s refusal to a series between them in 2015. They wanted a compensation of $69.4 million (Dh255.25 million) from India for not living up to their commitment.

It was in the light of such a huge demand from the PCB that BCCI agreed to meet the PCB officials in Dubai to explore possibilities of a bilateral series. The International Cricket Council (ICC) cannot force any nation to play a bilateral series if their respective governments do not approve.

India Sports Minister Vijay Goel, ruling out the bilateral series between the two countries, even stated that “cricket and terrorism can’t go hand-in-hand.”

The MoU between India and Pakistan was signed in 2014 but India did not play a proposed series in 2015 and may not play the next series as well scheduled in 2017.

Due to the strained relations between the two countries, Indian government had made it clear that their team will be only cleared for an ICC event. India and Pakistan are scheduled to play before a sell-out crowd in the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 4.

Interestingly, the BCCI members have claimed that there is no MoU between India and Pakistan. Amitabh Choudhary, the acting BCCI secretary, had stated that his team is always ready to play Pakistan, but it cannot happen without his government clearing the team to play their neighbours. However, Choudhary wants the dialogue to go on between the two countries.

Insiders feel that BCCI met PCB knowing well that the series is unlikely to meet their government approval and it was an exercise in futility to nullify any legal threats from Pakistan. Shashank Manohar, now the ICC chairman, had even ruled out India-Pakistan series in a neutral venue like the UAE when he was the BCCI President.

The last time both countries played each other was in 2012-13 for a limited over series of two T20 Internationals and three One Day International matches in India.

After the meeting in Dubai, the BCCI put out a terse statement from Choudhary: “The delegations of the BCCI and PCB have met in Dubai today and shared their stated positions. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and its outcome will be shared with the members of their respective boards.”

By K.R. Nayar Chief Cricket Writer

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