PCB to negotiate for India-Pakistan series during ICC Champions Trophy 2017

PCB to negotiate for IND-PAK series during ICC Champions Trophy 2017

Karachi: Amidst bleak chances of an India–Pakistan bilateral cricket series in the near future, top Pakistani official on Sunday said the two countries are likely to hold talks during a Champions Trophy match in England in June. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan said he would discuss the matter once again with the Indian cricket board officials during the June 4 ICC Champions Trophy match between the two at Edgbaston, Dunya News reported. Khan also admitted that the chances of bilateral series with India remain bleak. On May 3, the PCB sent a legal notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not honouring an MOU, signed in 2014, to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. ‘No formal agreement with PCB, so no question of compensating,’ says BCCI

Alleging a loss of $200-300 million, the PCB asked for a $60 million compensation for losses faced due to India’s refusal to play the series. The BCCI has maintained that no legal document was signed regarding the series and that cricket with Pakistan was subject to government approval. Earlier, in a major setback to the Pakistan Cricket Board‘s (PCB) hopes of getting a hefty compensation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the wake of no bilateral cricket between the two nations, the Indian board has categorically ruled out paying any compensation, saying the PCB misunderstood a “tentative understanding” as a formal agreement.

The BCCI stated that bilateral cricket with Pakistan was subject to Government approval, something that was not in the board’s control. The diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan are at its lowest ebb and the BCCI has made it clear that in such circumstances, decision of playing a bilateral series with Pakistan was not in their hands.