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| March 17, 2003 | Monday | Muharram 13, 1424 |
Pakistan to push ICC on Indian boycott
JOHANNESBURG, March 16: Pakistan will push for sanctions against India for refusing to play Test matches against it when the Executive Board of the ICC meets here later this week, a top official said on Sunday.
“We want the matter to be taken up seriously because India’s refusal to play us is hurting the game in the region,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Chishty Mujahid said.
The Executive Board will meet here on Saturday, a day before the World Cup final at the Wanderers.
The Indian government has banned bilateral cricket with Pakistan since June 2000 in protest at Islamabad’s alleged support to Islamic militants in the disputed Kashmir region.
But both teams face each other in multi-nation events like the current World Cup where India and Pakistan played in the preliminary league at Centurion on March 1.
The match passed off without an incident as India recorded a comprehensive six-wicket win.
India is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-Test series next month, but the visit is unlikely to take place.
India are committed to playing a tri-series in Bangladesh in mid-April featuring South Africa and the hosts.
“The writing is on the wall, the Indians will not be coming to Pakistan, although we have not had any official word from them,” Chishty said.
Under the 10-year Test programme of the ICC, India and Pakisan are scheduled to play four series till 2010.
Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya had earlier this month urged the federal government to allow the April tour of Pakistan to go ahead to prevent India from being isolated on the world stage.
“If India do not play against Pakistan, the equilibrium of world cricket will be severely affected because the World Test Championship cannot be decided,” Dalmiya wrote to sports Minister Vikram Verma.
India last played a Test match in Pakistan in January 1990, while Pakistan toured India in 1999 despite threats from Hindu fundamentalists to disrupt the tour.
“Pakistan’s hopes of organising a tri-series with England and Zimbabwe next month to fill the void left by India did not bear fruit,” Chishty said.—AFP
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