Former PCB chief slams BCCI, says India not keen to revive cricket ties

After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the highly-awaited Indo-Pak bilateral cricket series in the wake of Gurdaspur attacks, the former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt on 2 August launched a scathing attack on the Indian cricket board.

"It is a waste of time. It is never going to happen because the Indian board is not interested in playing against us. They use the excuse of their government's permission all the time to not play us," Butt said.

Butt, a former Test batsman and a controversial figure in Pakistan cricket particularly when he was PCB chairman from 2008 to 2012, was clear in his mind that the Indian board, BCCI, would not play Pakistan in December.

"The Indians playing us at an offshore venue is out of the question. The truth is they don't want to play us. When I was chairman we even offered to play our home series in India if we got to keep the revenues but they flatly refused," he recalled.

"We may talk about friendship all the time, the fact is the Indian cricket officials have always tried to hurt us in every way possible. Ethically they owe us at least two home series but they will not play even now," Butt said.

He noted that for no other series does the BCCI needs to involve its government except for Pakistan.

"It is nothing but a delaying tool and our board should not waste their energy and time. Pakistan cricket has shown despite so many problems since the last few years that it can stand and survive on its own feet."

The former PCB chief pointed out that the Indians had shown their true feelings about Pakistan cricket and players by constantly ignoring them in the IPL since 2008.

"There have been so many incidents in recent times where the Indians have treated our sportsmen or women unjustly and been violent but we have tolerated and we still talk about revival of bilateral series. It is a waste of time."

He advised the PCB to be clear about its stance on relations with India.

"The Indians always wanted to control world cricket and now they are doing that with the help of Australia and England in the ICC. They control the finances now. Which is why despite everything N Srinivasan remains the chairman of the world body."

Bilateral series between India and Pakistan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahryar Khan's visit to India in May earlier this year was aimed at boosting Pakistan's cricketing ties with its neighbour. The PCB chief held meetings with the BCCI chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya and board secretary Anurag Thakur.

The Indian cricket board and the PCB had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2014. According to the MoU, India and Pakistan are scheduled to play 12 Tests, 30 ODIs and 11 T20s as part of the six bilateral series over a span of eight years.

The first of the six bilateral series, scheduled for December this year, comprised three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s. However, the recent attacks in Gurdaspur forced the BCCI to postpone it.

Since 2007, India have not played a proper bilateral Test series with Pakistan mainly because of political reasons, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks which led to the suspension of cricketing ties between the two nations.

The arch-rivals last played a bilateral series in December 2012-January 2013, when Pakistan toured India for a short series. The last time India toured Pakistan was in 2005-06 under the leadership of Rahul Dravid for three Tests and five ODIs.

BCCI's stand on the cricket series

In the wake of the Gurdaspur attacks, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said that cricket and terror cannot go hand in hand. He also said that the internal security of the country cannot be comprised, even though sport is a different issue.

"I condemn the terrorist attacks, specially in the Gurdaspur region. If you talk about cricket with Pakistan, we must understand that life of every Indian is very important to us. As the BCCI secretary and as a Parliamentarian, the life of every Indian is very important to me. It's not only about cricket, it's about my country," Thakur said.

Thakur made it clear that unless the situation improves, the two south Asian neighbours won't play cricket.

"I think the BCCI is correct in saying that terror will have to completely go before play can happen. Because as human beings we also want terror to completely go," former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said, backing BCCI's decision.

"This has always been the case with an India-Pakistan series. As much as we understand that it is entertaining and it is a high-profile series, we cannot take away the sufferings which people go through at the border especially after what happened in Gurdaspur," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)