PCB will take legal action against BCCI for not playing bilateral series

In 2014, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with their Pakistani counterpart Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to the MoU, Team India was scheduled to play six bilateral series against their arch-rivals between 2015 to 2023, four of which will be Pakistan’s home series. Having known that the BCCI isn’t willing to allow the team play any cricket with the neighbours without the central government’s consent, PCB even offered to use a neutral venue as their home ground.

But the Indian board constantly kept rejecting the offers from PCB, citing the lack of government clearance to participate in such series. The Pakistani board repeatedly tried to convince BCCI, but all of their requests and pleas went in vain. The PCB is now going to opt for the last available option, that is taking legal action against BCCI for dishonouring the terms and conditions of the MoU.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan on Saturday revealed that his board has reserved Rs. 1 Billion to sue their Indian counterparts. Khan & Co. is moving to the ICC dispute resolution committee. According to Khan, the Board of Governors (BoG) has decided to bear the expenses of the lawsuit. They will take the help of highly qualified British lawyers in this regard.

“We have hired a British law firm to represent us in the case and file the compensation claim with the disputes resolution committee. The BCCI claims they can’t play any bilateral series with us since their government is not giving clearance to them,” said the departing chairman.

Pakistan will not tour Bangladesh

Khan made his views clear by saying that Pakistan will not tour their Asian neighbour Bangladesh unless the Tigers play at least a few matches in Pakistan, if not a proper bilateral series. “We will not send our team to Bangladesh for the third consecutive time until they visit Pakistan to play some matches,” said the 83-year old.

He also heaped praises on the Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, under whose leadership the Men in Green lifted ICC Champions Trophy for the first time ever earlier this year. “Sarfraz Ahmed did a very good job as captain and we feel that since he has been made captain in all three formats and is still young the Pakistan cricket has a good future ahead of it,” said Khan.

While on one hand, he praised Ahmed and his boys, he was worried about the future of women’s cricket in Pakistan on the other. Pakistan’s Women’s cricketer team failed to perform in the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup. Shaharyar feels that there is an acute lack of fresh talent in the women’s circuit, as most of the players from the current squad have been donning the jersey for eight years.