Islamabad, December 15: Hit by severe financial-crisis then Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to travel and play in India if the Indian Government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agree to the proposal.
Referring to India’s pull out from a Pakistan tour earlier this year in the wake of last year’s Mumbai terror attack, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt said if the BCCI wanted to reschedule the series with permission fromthe Indian government, Pakistan is ready to play its ‘home’ series across the border.
“We are playing our home Test series in New Zealand right now, we can plan a home Test series in India as well, provided the Indians show interest,” Butt said.
“If India is willing to reschedule that series or part of that series in India, it is something we would like to discuss with them,” he said.
“We just need to find a window next year for such a series which would I am sure be a big draw,” he said.
Butt is candid enough to admit that PCB is finding it hard to recover from the nearly US$ 47 million loss of revenues it suffered after the cancellation ofthe Indian team’s tour to Pakistan.
“We are definitely keen on playing a bilateral series with India as soon as possible and it is something we have been discussing at all levels with ourgovernment, with their board officials and with the ICC ,” Butt said.
Butt said the clearance by the Indian government for Pakistani players to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a good sign and augurs well for resumption of bilateral cricket ties.
Butt said India is a very viable commercial market for the high voltage Indo-Pak cricket matches.
Pakistan is earning little from playing its home Test series in New Zealand and has paid Cricket New Zealand around US$ 400,000 for hosting the series.
“We are earning little from playing at neutral venues but at least our team is getting international exposure and matches which is also very important for the survival of the sport inPakistan,” Butt said.
The Indian board recently, after a visit by Butt to India, said that a bilateral series with Pakistan even at neutral venues would only be possible around late next year because of the pressing commitments of its team.
BCCI media committee chairman Rajiv Shukla had said there is no possibility of resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan for the next six to eight months.
“Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt met with BCCI president Shashank Manohar in Mohali today and they spoke about India-Pakistan cricket. We explained to the PCB chairman that India has a busy international schedule in the coming few months and there is no space in the calendar to playPakistan,” Shukla said in Mohali.
–Agencies