India-Pakistan series in doubt
The most awaited cricket series between India and Pakistan is likely to get scrapped because of the political turmoil between the two countries. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said that a bilateral series between the two neighbours was unlikely because the political condition is still not stable between the neighbours.
"Even today there is a terrorist attack, in Gurdaspur. On one hand there is a rise in terrorist activity from Pakistan, on the other you can't expect to play a cricket series with Pakistan,” Thakur was quoted saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"For me the safety and security of my countrymen is more important than a cricket series. This is not the way to go ahead. I was never against the dialogue process. At the same time, if you do not have good relations, you can't have good cricket,” he added, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
It was Pakistan Cricket Board's chairman Shaharyar Khan who injected hope of resumption of cricketing ties between the arch-rivals when he visited India last month. He met BCCI's president Jagmohan Dalmiya and said that if the series didn't happen, he had a "Plan B" which would guide the new way.
"We know there is always such a possibility when it comes to Indo-Pak relations but we think the situation will be clear in two months time. We have a plan B in case the series (against India) cannot be held but I can't share the details of that now. If such a situation is created we can call alternative teams," Shaharyar had told the website.
India and Pakistan last played a series in the year 2007, which was a Test series.