Kolkata: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi on Monday said there shouldn’t be any political interference when it comes to playing bilateral series with each other. Sethi, who is in the city to attend the ICC meeting termed the recent state of affairs between the two boards as unfortunate and feel it is a tragedy for the fans not to see the two nations confronting each other in bilateral series.
“It is a great tragedy that the fans of cricket in India, Pakistan and the whole world are being deprived of this opportunity to see their two favorite countries play cricket. I don’t like to bring politics. But it’s a sad day when politics come into cricket and affects cricketing ties,” Sethi told reporters on the sidelines of five-day ICC meeting here.
He added, “My view is that Pakistan and India play cricket in such a manner that no other country can match them. The most profitable series has only been between India and Pakistan, whenever we play… The most competitive and enjoyable series is that.
The prevailing political relations between the two neighboring countries and security issues have brought bilateral series to a halt since
The BCCI has said it can only go ahead and play a bilateral series if the Central government allows.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has moved to the tribunal demanding compensation worth 70 million dollars against the BCCI for not honoring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which required the two countries to play five bilateral series in an eight-year cycle between 2015-2023.
“We have gone to the tribunal saying India has violated a contract and we have put forward a figure of 70 million USD for the two series that India were supposed to play and has not played with us,” Sethi said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not slotted Pakistan in the FTP for next five years. Reacting to it the PCB chairman said, “India has not slotted any games for Pakistan. In principle, we have said alright if this is the way you want it fine, but we will only agree to this FTP subject to what decision is taken in the dispute resolution committee. If the decision is in our favor, they will have to change the FTP.
A three-member ICC Dispute Resolution Committee is expected to pass a decision after hearing the claim of both boards. PCB has already submitted their preliminary papers.
“We have submitted our preliminary position in writing. The Indians have not yet submitted their position in writing, they are still looking at our position and asking various questions.
“But I think within the next month or so, the Indian point of view will also be available. Our position is, we want to speed up the process of decision making. In principle, the dispute resolution committee has said that once all the paperwork and documents are in from both sides, they will take three days in which they will come to a decision.”