India v Pakistan series in UAE not yet certain, says Khan

Sport360 staff 06:58 06/09/2014
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  • Concerns: PCB’s Shaharyar Khan.

    Pakistan and India to be held in the UAE next year is a doubtful starter, according to Pakistan’s cricket chief Shaharyar Khan.

    Khan believes the inconclusive inquiry into the 2008 Mumbai attacks is a major hurdle in reviv­ing sporting ties between the arch-rivals. India stalled all bilateral ties in the wake of the attacks, which left 166 people dead and were blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board and its counterpart the Board of Control for Cricket in India have signed an agreement to play six series in the next eight years, the first to be hosted by Paki­stan in December 2015, most likely in the UAE. Pakistan have been playing their international matches in the Emirates after foreign teams refused to tour the country follow­ing a terrorist attack in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009.

    While Pakistan and the Inter­national Cricket Council chief N. Srinivasan, have endorsed the series, neither the BCCI nor the Indian government have yet to give the clearance.

    Pakistan’s domestic team La­hore Lions are also due to feature in the Champions League Twen­ty20 event in India from Septem­ber 13 but reports suggest their participation remains doubtful amid recent border skirmishes between the two countries.

    PCB chairman Khan said yes­terday: “We usually have tension on the border but the real thing is that their public is against us because of the Mumbai attacks.

    “They say that there is no progress on the investigation. Until and unless the case is closed the ties will remain affected.”

    Pakistan indicted seven people over the Mumbai attacks but their trial, which began in 2009, has made little headway, prompting Indian accusations that the process was a sham.

    Khan, however, played down doubts over Lahore Lions’ partici­pation in the CLT20 as “rumours”.

    Khan declared he would resume talks with BCCI and Indian govern­ment officials. “I will go to India and will also meet their officials on the sidelines of the ICC (International Cricket Council) meeting in Dubai and I have good relations with all of them in India,” the 80-year-old former diplomat said.

    Pakistan toured India for a two Twenty20 and three one-day international series in 2012-2013 but that failed to resume the full ties. India’s last full bilateral tour to Pakistan was in 2006.

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