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Journalism of Courage
DUBAI, NOVEMBER 22: Pakistan Cricket Board is confident that the Indian team’s tour of Pakistan will materialise, despite the Indian government’s decision to the contrary as the Indian Cricket Board is ‘‘very keen to bring the Indian team to Pakistan.
‘‘I had a meeting with Raj Singh Dungarpur of BCCI in Pakistan and he sounded very keen to bring the Indian team,’’ PCB chairman Tauqeer Zia said adding that he never talked about suspending India or imposing sanctions against them.
Zia told the Gulf News daily that Dungarpur, a former BCCI chief, cut short his visit to Pakistan and returned to Delhi to persuade the government to reconsider its decision of banning the Indian tour of Pakistan in January next year.
‘‘I do not know with whom Dungarpur will hold talks in Delhi on the matter but I am convinced the Indian Board still has hopes of coming to Pakistan’’ he said.
However, the Indian foreign office spokesman in New Delhi on Tuesday that there was no change in the government’s decision to veto the Indian team’s tour to Pakistan slated to take place in January.
Meanwhile, the Daily News of Karachi quoted an unnamed PCB official as saying Pakistan was not keen to get into any event which featured India.
The PCB official said the Malaysian Cricket Association had asked for dates from the Pakistan team between January 2 and 17 to organise a triangular series and they intended to invite India also. ‘‘But I don’t think it is any longer a feasible option for us to play in Malaysia,’’ the official said, according to The News.
Zia said Dungarpur also had talks with with the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Vijay Nambiar before leaving for Delhi. ‘‘I only said Pakistan are going to lose so much money and we should be compensated. I do not think sanctions and suspensions are good for the game’’ he said but stressed that Pakistan will have to review their stance regarding playing India after they called off the tour.
Zia, who was here to attend the Asian Cricket Council meeting, said with India’s decision not to tour Pakistan the Asian Test series and the Asia cup will also be jeopardised because both the events are going to take place in Pakistan.On ICC Chief Malcolm Grey’s suggestion that India be suspended for the decision, he said ICC will have to study tthe constitution, consult lawyers and then do something.
‘‘Please leave politics out of sport. Personally how can I think of Indian team’s suspension. India and Pakistan go together and make money’’ he said. ‘‘I think we have to take the whole situation and come out with a logical solution.’’
The News in Karachi quoted sources as saying PCB was also not very keen to host Bangladesh in place of the Indians for a Test series as it was not a financiallly viable venture.
