Pakistan slams Indian cricket team

KARACHI: National cricket chief Ijaz Butt on Thursday tried to put up a brave face after India cancelled a much-awaited tour, leaving him and other Pakistani officials to count the losses.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman told “The News” that India”s decision to cancel the January-February series was politically-motivated but it should not affect long-term cricketing ties between the two neighbours or the World Cup which the Asian Test-playing nations are supposed to host in 2011.

But he conceded that the series cancellation was a big setback in many ways as it would result in major financial losses besides depriving Pakistan”s action-starved cricketers the opportunity of playing a Test series for the first time in more than a year.

It is estimated that the PCB will end up losing at least US$25 million because of India”s decision to cancel the series. The setback will also put a dent on the Board”s five-year television rights” deal worth US$140.5 million which it signed with a Gulf-based sports channel.

“It”s certainly disappointing,” Butt said referring to the Indian government”s decision to block its cricket team”s tour of Pakistan. “Both the boards were keen for the series to go ahead and we tried our best to save it but in the end it was a political decision taken by the Indian government to cancel the tour,” he stressed.

The Indian government refused to clear the tour in the wake of last month”s terror attacks in Mumbai that left 172 dead and more than 300 wounded. India has blamed extremists based in Pakistan for masterminding the attacks, a charge that has been denied by Pakistan.

Butt said that personally he tried his best to ensure that India did come here and play the series that was supposed to include three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a twenty20 game.

“I even went to India to ensure that the series does take place,” Butt said referring to his Indian trip earlier this month. “I”m sure that the senior Indian board officials were also very keen to save the series and they tried their best but eventually the matter was not in their hands either.”

Butt said that the PCB had hoped that the series will not be affected by the strained political relations between the two countries for the sake of cricket in the region.

However, the PCB chief made it clear that the cancellation of the series will not have long-term repercussions on Paki-India cricket relations.

“We were informed about the cancellation of the series via an email sent by (BCCI president) Shashank Manohar,” he said. “He (Manohar) told us that they can”t send a team as the (Indian) government has refused to clear the tour. He also told us that when the situation improves (between the governments) cricket will resume between the two countries.”

Butt said that PCB is yet to count its losses but was quick to add that Pakistan cricket will bounce back.

“The (India) series was beyond our control. But we will take steps to ensure that international cricket resumes in Pakistan.”

The PCB chief said that Pakistan have been considering other options, adding that Sri Lanka have already been invited to play Tests and one-dayers to fill in for India.

“Our cricketers haven”t played a single Test this year and we know how important it is for them to play against top teams,” he stressed.

Butt believes that India�s decision to stay away from Pakistan will not affect the 2011 World Cup. “The World Cup is still quite far off and I don”t think that it would be affected,” he said.

He was also hopeful that the ICC Champions Trophy to be played next year will stay in Pakistan.

Responding to a question, Butt made it clear that in spite of suffering major losses because of the cancelled series against India, PCB has no plans of insuring future home games. “We”ve learnt from past experience that you don”t gain anything by insuring home games. Previously we”ve only added to our losses by insuring a series against Australia,” he said referring to the Board”s decision to insure the series against Australia earlier this year.

The Aussies “postponed” the tour, a decision that resulted in major losses for the Board which was being run by former chairman Nasim Ashraf at that time. But the PCB didn”t receive any compensation from the England-based insurance company, with Ashraf claiming that Pakistan didn”t receive any money because the series was postponed and not cancelled.

Later, some of the senior officials in the new PCB set-up alleged that the insurance deal was a scam. The matter is being currently probed.

Courtsey : http://www.cricpoint.com/

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