Indian cricket administrator Rajeev Shukla rubbished claims that PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan was deliberately given the cold shoulder by the BCCI on his recent visit to Mumbai and insisted that talks between the two boards were still alive.
Activists of India's far-right political group Shiv Sena stormed the headquarters of the BCCI in Mumbai prior to a meeting between Shashank Manohar and Shaharyar Khan.
The activists shouted anti-Pakistan slogans and held posters that read 'Shahryar Khan go back', determined to stop the BCCI chief from meeting his Pakistani counterpart.
Shukla also rejected reports claiming that the dialogue process between PCB and BCCI regarding a bilateral series had come to a dead end after Shaharyar's gloomy press conference on Wednesday.
“I went to India upon the invitation of BCCI chief Shashank Manohar. But I was surprised at the indifferent attitude shown by the Indian officials. I would say they were not very good hosts and did not have the courtesy to reschedule the meeting after the first one was cancelled because of the protests,” Shaharyar told reporters after his return from India.
The PCB chief also indicated that a decision on Pakistan's participation in next year's World T20 in India would hinge on the fate of the bilateral series between the two countries.
But Shukla, who is also the chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) said that the BCCI was looking forward to the continuation of talks between the cricket chiefs of both the cricket boards after the on-going India South Africa ODI series ends on October 25.
“The talks regarding an Indo-Pak bilateral series have not derailed yet and we will continue anytime after the India-South Africa series ends,” said Shukla while talking to Dawn.
Shukla said that the Pakistani delegation was given full hospitality on BCCI’s part but ‘extremist’ Shiv Sena spoiled the schedule meeting.
PCB executive committee chief, Najam Sethi, who also travelled with Shaharyar to India, verified that they had received a positive message from the BCCI regarding the continuation of talks.
“Shiv Sena’s protest has been a cause of shame for BCCI too and the Indian media has also condemned it,” said Sethi.
“If they (BCCI) weren’t interested in talks, they wouldn’t have indicated towards the possibility of dialogue in near future,” he added.
