Pakistan can survive without India, says PCB chief
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KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan believes the chances of the bilateral series against India are very less, looking at the current political turmoil situation between two nations.
“Given the present circumstances, the chances of a Pakistan-India [cricket] series look bleak and we have to live with the fact that India are not going to play us,” a prominent cricket website quoted Shaharyar as saying.
“At the same time, the BCCI hasn’t formally refused us, but we can’t wait long amid this uncertainty and have got to have an alternative plan. We will wait for another couple of months before forcing our plan ‘B’.”
While hoping for some improvement in the relationship between the two neighbours in the near future, Shaharyar stressed on the point that cricket should not suffer between politics.
“I hope the climate [in Pakistan-India relations] will improve but at the moment it’s more a political tension … the relationship between the countries is complex but cricket shouldn’t be suffering, it is after all something that can be a tool to lower the tension,” the PCB chief stated.
Shaharyar while acknowledging that he understood how big the BCCI was and the perks of playing India, firmly made a point that Pakistan cricket was not dependent upon their neighbouring board and could survive without playing the.
“We understand the BCCI is financially very sound and we are the ones who have suffered a lot in all this,” Shaharyar said. “It’s not that we can’t survive without playing them. We are surviving, and can survive, but our position is that the game shouldn’t be mixed up with the politics. So we are trying to get the series revived based on the MoU they have signed with us. They have to honour it and if they don’t it’s their responsibility,” the PCB chief maintained.
Recently, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur gave a statement that any bilateral series between India and Pakistan was unlikely until the political relationship between the two countries was stable.
He spoke after a gunfight in the Gurdaspur district in Punjab, close to India’s border with Pakistan, led to several civilian casualties.
Thakur, an MP from India’s ruling BJP, quoted the incident as an example of why he believed the time was not right for a cricket series with Pakistan.
India and Pakistan played a full-fledged Test and ODI series last time in 2007-08 in India. —Agencies
Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2015
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Comments (64) Closed
Aug 29, 2015 07:44am
BCCI should grab this opportunity and should become the peace maker. we need a breakthrough in the political stalemate. Let cricket open the door!
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Aug 29, 2015 07:45am
India should never play Pakistan under any circumstances until 5 years of absolute peace between both countries both in terms of military confrontation and terror incidents. This logic of stating that politics should be separate from sporting or human ties is absurd. All are one and should be treated as one.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:05am
Mr. Khan, Pakistan cricket can not only survive without you but it will thrive and prosper without you. Why don't you do Pakistan cricket a huge favor by resigning. Cricket fans of the country will set up a fund where everyone pools Rd 2 a month so that you can be paid what you are earning at the board. OK?
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Aug 29, 2015 08:22am
Not just survive, we will thrive without them. We can achieve No.2 test ranking in coming series and looking at talent pool Pakistan Cricket will be back to the best. Cut India completely out of equation for the betterment of Pakistan Cricket.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:26am
Any body can survive but living life king size is something to be achieved while we are alive. Cricket legends like Imran Khan, Wasim Akram,Javed Miandad,Salim Malik, Amir Sohail,Shoaib Akhtar,Inzy,Rameez Raja, etc,will not be produced if there is no passion of beating the Indians ! Current crickets will live an ordinary life without much self confidence and will not be millionaires and charismatic icons as those were in the past . So, it is very essential to have good relation with neighbours.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:29am
There should be some positive atmosphere in order to enjoy a match. Without that it look like a war between two teams.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:34am
Our Army has got to report to the civilian govt. In any democracy this is the case. Pakistan is the only exception other that Turkey to some extent. Once that happens then the govt can talk peace otherwise it has no say on LOC violence.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:36am
Good thinking by Chairman PCB, two teams should play cricket but under current situation, its seems impossible and Pakistan should not try to convince India, enough is enough.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:44am
That's what they are getting to support India for the big three...Zaka Ashraf was atleast a man of guts to stand against the odds...there are so many teams to play with..why wait for 2 months start plan B.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:45am
I don't understand why the ICC is eager to play Indians even at the cost of accepting Big Three. Najam Sethi should be made answerable to the nation for this.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:48am
@An Indian that's a mistake Pakistani legends were not produced because of playing with India, it was because of their sheer hard work and the public confidence and that's what they can still achieve.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:49am
@An Indian Wasim and Waqar, arguably the greatest fast bowlers the game has ever seen spent majority of their career without playing against India. Credit their absence to the greatness of Sachin.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:53am
What kind of headline is this ? Ofcourse we can and we will survive , what has India got to do with our survival.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:56am
@An Indian Our legends are not because they played against India..They are legends because they have innovated the game with reverse swings and their examplary batting and bowling, do not be under the impression that playing with India gives anyone a sense of heroism at all.
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Aug 29, 2015 08:58am
Plan "b" will be the better option....
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Aug 29, 2015 09:03am
@An Indian so why dont you have good relations with your western neighbor? Why do you play politics on cricket? Let both teams play regardless what the govt's do!
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Aug 29, 2015 09:07am
No you can't. And that's something you know too but don't admit. Good luck
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Aug 29, 2015 09:20am
Well very Well, we the people like this.
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Aug 29, 2015 09:20am
LMAO @An Indian. You called Ramiz Raja a legend, now that shows how much you know about cricket LMAO.
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Aug 29, 2015 09:21am
@Murtaza Playing India may not give you a sense of heroism. But it will surely make more money for your cricket board.
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Aug 29, 2015 09:33am
@Iqbal Rameez Raja Certainly is a Legend!!
A Legend Commentator....hehe
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Aug 29, 2015 09:34am
That is what India has been telling.
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Aug 29, 2015 09:53am
Grapes are sour
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Aug 29, 2015 09:56am
@An Indian So indians are living king size life woww Really! LOL.
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Aug 29, 2015 10:31am
@nooru 52 I am talking about cricketers,not all Indians.
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Aug 29, 2015 10:32am
@Pakistani So ,why are legends not getting produced now?
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Aug 29, 2015 10:33am
@Murtaza Why there is no innovation now?
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Aug 29, 2015 10:35am
@Iqbal Certainly he is a legendary commentator, I agree with Nitin :)
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Aug 29, 2015 10:42am
@An Indian We are still producing legends and they are with us if u remember the 2 sixes in final over by the Legend Shahid Afridi .. u know what I mean
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Aug 29, 2015 10:47am
I have always appreciated this gentleman Mr. Shaharyar for his tireless efforts to build up relations between India & Pakistan through game of Cricket. hats off to him! I'm also admirer many Pak cricketers and culturists. but game cannot go on with feeling of enmity in mind and thousands dying at borders or within. hence both political leaderships must work in direction to bring peace in the sub-continent to ensure development and progress of their own territory & human resources. Games will automatically follow the route.....
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Aug 29, 2015 10:47am
@An Indian there can be Pakistani coaches, Commentator, guests in talk shows but Pakistani players can not play in IPL makes sense
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Aug 29, 2015 10:55am
Wisdom has now dawned on the all wise chairman. Where was his wisdom when PCB supported the idea of Big Three in hope of bagging Indo Pak Series. By the way given his health, he is sincerly advised to take leave
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Aug 29, 2015 11:00am
@Opinion Yes, Afridi was also hero when he hit sixes against the Indians !
Now, your players look like club cricketers, no more legends !
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Aug 29, 2015 11:08am
Your policy regarding India failed miserably. Your support for Big 3 did not work.Just accept it.
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Aug 29, 2015 12:16pm
@Valar Morghulis funny!if it is true then Pakistan batsmen of that era like inzamam etc are bunnies because they never had to face waqar,wasim.
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Aug 29, 2015 12:28pm
@Valar Morghulis Imran Khan was treated without respect by Indian batsmen like T.E.srinivasan,K.srikkanth,Anil bhanot,Vijay telang during Pakistan tour of India in 1980.In fact after his 97 against imran,sarfraz&co for south zone srikkanth got a call to play for India.srinivasan scored 108 but never got the opportunity.but we never underestimated Imran nor made crude remarks against him like you did.
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Aug 29, 2015 12:32pm
I agree on sports being free from politics. I also agree Pakistan can live very well without India. The past 70 years are a testement to that.
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Aug 29, 2015 12:54pm
he he he.... Grapes are sour
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Aug 29, 2015 01:15pm
@Opinion how many defeats in world cup matches from India?? in a row??
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Aug 29, 2015 01:27pm
good to see positive comments by PCB Head. We can't beg to BCCI all the time. Every rise has a downfall. BCCI should come of out their arrogance and being the richest cricket board must help other surviving boards. Afterall Cricket is the game not the political platform to play bad tactics....
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Aug 29, 2015 01:41pm
@Opinion Can you remember six world cup matches that you played with India. LOL
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Aug 29, 2015 01:57pm
lets love and co exist? I dont get it, why do we even fight? whats the point? why unprovoked firing from both sides? both are equally responsible. I admire the Indian and pakistani community abroad, they respect each other, the similarities.
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Aug 29, 2015 02:42pm
@Valar Morghulis Sachin would have blasted any bowler in the world.
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Aug 29, 2015 03:42pm
Indians and BCCI have cheated Pakistan whenever they find a chance. They will do it again. PCB must always have a plan A (without playing India), plan B should be playing India.
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Aug 29, 2015 03:47pm
@An Indian, Pakistan is 3rd position in ICC test circket ranking. What is the position of Indians???? who has produced club cricketers India or Pakistan -- please see the state
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Aug 29, 2015 03:49pm
@hemant kulkarni, how many defeats India faced by Pakistan - please see the stats
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Aug 29, 2015 04:06pm
For all those commenting that pak supported the big 3. Dear friends pak was forced to support because no one was left with pak to oppose the big 3. Without any support pak would have been the ugly duckling left out.
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Aug 29, 2015 04:10pm
India is taking undue advantage of being a big market, with over a billion people and totally underdeveloped. Most of revenues come from their that is why ICC is willing to allow itself to be hijacked by the Indian, but it does not mean that they politicize sports and start blackmailing other countries. The PCB chairman is right, and as a follow up we should make our domestic cricket more competitive. We are not a small market either, it is only to be worked how cricket and other sports are made more competitive locally so that it attract more crowd and more advertisers along them....Time to instutionalise sport, rather than handing them over to corporations
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Aug 29, 2015 04:19pm
India has changed a lot in last 5 years, let alone cricket... soon we can see Chinese bending to Indian pressure on economic front as well
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Aug 29, 2015 04:23pm
Instead of soliciting the relationship case, PCB should file a suit in international court against BCCI for backing out from its commitment it made earlier to play Test series with Pakistan. Frankly speaking India is afraid to play with Pakistan, they are afraid of loosing & then loosing in their elections.
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Aug 29, 2015 04:38pm
A turncoat. Look what is he saying today!! 29 Aug 2015.Exactly the opposite. His love for his homeland is visible.
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Aug 29, 2015 05:18pm
It is not population for being bigger market, I think, UK and Australia have less population then Pak but still are bigger market in cricket. it is Conducive environment, followers and their capacity to pay. please built up that then every one will come and play.
Till then Zimb, Ireland. WI etc are best for plan B.
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Aug 29, 2015 05:58pm
I think PCB should stop wasting time and energy on trying to convince BCCI to play with us. It is a futile not least a self-degrading exercise. Shaharyar should have known better. It is simply not going to happen courtesy of the Indian government. However, I do not believe that things are any worse now than when we played bilateral series with them in the past. We should focus instead on playing against England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand both home (UAE) and away. Remember Shaharyar is the same guy who for money forced the team to play a match against NZ just a day after the massacre of children at Army Public school in Peshawar when their funerals were sill going on. I lost all respect for him that day.
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Aug 29, 2015 06:05pm
"but our position is that the game shouldn’t be mixed up with the politics."
Our position is also the same...that terrorism,trade,tousrism should not be mixed with politics (kashmir of kashyap rishi) ....Please tell that to your NSA
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Aug 29, 2015 06:09pm
@desi baba Personally, I am not in favor of playing arrogant Indians, but I must agree that playing cricket can open some doors of opportunities to normalize relations. Specially when politicians have run out of new ideas.
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Aug 29, 2015 06:14pm
Just to clear up some doubts from Indians' minds, most of our great legendry players were produced in county cricket and knowing that cricket against India was not a possible in their life times.
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Aug 29, 2015 07:23pm
Infact,we Pakistani don't wanna play with corrupt cricketers (evidence:Dhoni & IPL case).
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Aug 29, 2015 08:44pm
@desi baba So play Cricket and that will normalize the relationship. Really?
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Aug 29, 2015 09:14pm
@Rajbir Singh Jakhar But India is a bigger market for population only not capacity to pay, there is still 25 crore people is poor who are not eating food 2 times Properly.
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Aug 29, 2015 10:50pm
@An Indian - Who are India's current "legends"?
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Aug 30, 2015 12:52am
@NOORU52: Of course! India is home to biggest poverty unlike Pakistan which is far developed, advanced, and many times financially stable than India, giving aid to so many countries in need.
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Aug 30, 2015 11:11am
It's funny how some Indians actually justify not playing Pakistan. In august 2015, indian snooker team visited Pakistan to participate in a snooker tournament. They play kabbadi, hockey, volleyball, squash. The only sport they don't participate is cricket. BCCI is heavily politicised.
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Aug 30, 2015 11:39am
@Anuj Yes our GDP is not big as India but not to small India is on 10 Pakistan is on 26 But every single person is happy in Pakistan, may be you don't know because your Media is always showing different Pakistan.
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Sep 01, 2015 04:45pm
@Vijay. How could Pakistan guarantee peace for India? India has a history of fighting its neighbors, be that China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or Pakistan.
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