Published: Oct 19, 2015, 10:52 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 19, 2015, 11:12 AM (IST)
Shiv Sena on Monday sprang a surprise when they stormed into the office of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid reports that the Indian cricket board chief Shashank Manohar is having a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shahryar Khan. The chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was reportedly in Mumbai to discuss the future bilateral cricket series between the two arch rivals, and the Shiv Sena stormed into the BCCI office on Monday shouted slogans. The Shiv Sainiks — who are the party members — were taken away by the police after a brief period during which they shouted slogans against the cricket relations between the two cricketing powerhouses.
Rajeev Shukla, who has been the BCCI office bearer and is presently the chief operating officer of the Indian Premier League (IPL) condemned the move by Shiv Sena on his Twitter page. Shukla wrote, “Strongly condemns the attack on BCCI Office by Shiv Sena.”
The Press Trust of India reported on Sunday that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan and head of the PCB’s executive committee Najam Sethi left for India in a bid to convince the BCCI to confirm the bilateral series in December. Khan and Sethi are expected to meet with the new BCCI President Shashank Manohar and Secretary Anurag Thakur along with other government officials in New Delhi. “The trip is being made on the invitation of Shashank Manohar who took over as the new Indian cricket chief,” a official in the PCB said.
Cricket is a gentleman’s man and the spirit of the game expects same generosity and tolerance from those who love the game.
— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) October 19, 2015
Khan had also discussed the planned series with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai. Thakur had assured him a final decision could be taken later this month and conveyed Manohar’s invitation to visit India to Shaharyar. A reliable source in the PCB said Khan and Sethi had both gone to India after holding discussions with the government’s National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz. “The PCB is mentally prepared to even settle for a shorter series but want it to be Pakistan’s home series and in the UAE,” the source said.
