COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has offered itself as a neutral venue for a proposed series between arch-rivals India and Pakistan to break a deadlock over where to play the matches, cricket officials said on Tuesday.

The island nation emerged as a likely solution after crisis talks at the weekend between the two rivals in Dubai failed to end the stalemate.

“We have made the offer,” a Sri Lankan Cricket board official told AFP, adding the teams had been given the option of playing in Colombo and Kandy or Colombo only.

“We are awaiting a response from the PCB,” he said, referring to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

India and Pakistan were scheduled to play two Tests, five one-dayers and two Twenty20 Internationals in December and January.

But Sri Lankan officials said that with time running out, the series would be shortened to limited-over matches if played on the island.

A Board of Control for Cricket in India spokesman declined to comment.

Pakistan have been playing their home series in the United Arab Emirates because of security fears at home, but India have refused to play there for the upcoming tournament.

India and Pakistan have not played a full series since 2007. New Delhi halted all cricket matches with Pakistan following the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, although they did play a limited-overs series in 2012.

India blamed militants based in Pakistan for the attacks which left 166 people dead.

Last month, hardline Hindu activists sabotaged talks between India and Pakistan cricket officials in Mumbai, underscoring the anger still felt by some.

Under a 2014 memorandum of understanding, both countries’ cricket boards had agreed to play six series between 2015-2023, with four to be hosted by Pakistan. But all series were subject to clearance from their respective governments.

BROADCAST RIGHTS

The choice of Sri Lanka as a venue, meanwhile, has come as a relief for the PCB as it also solves the broadcasting rights issue, which could have been a problem.

While SLC said that they are gearing up for the marquee series, they would only come out with a statement once PCB task-force chairman Giles Clarke makes an official statement.

The Dubai-based broadcasters Ten Sports will be broadcasting the series in India and Pakistan, which will also mean that PCB will not need to compromise on their revenue, which is highly dependant on a series with India.

“Had the series been in India, the broadcasting rights would have gone to Star Sports as they have exclusive rights of covering India’s home series. Even if you would have termed it as Pakistan’s home series in India, there could have been legal ramifications,” a senior BCCI official said on Tuesday.

However, a PCB source told Press Trust of India news agency that Sri Lanka was a good solution.

“Ten Sports has broadcasting rights of international cricket matches held in Sri Lanka as they are rights holder for the Sri Lankan team. While Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has just started in Bangladesh, it was the island nation that was most convenient option for the PCB top brass,” the source said.

“It is no secret that PCB’s multi-million deal with their broadcasters hinges largely on the fact that an India series will be held.

“If India does not play Pakistan in this period than at least 60 percent of the total bid amount will be reduced by the successful broadcasters. So it was no wonder that PCB’s last throw of dice was a series in Sri Lanka which would enable Ten Sports to broadcast the series.”

The source also said that the undisclosed amount for broadcast rights that PCB had bagged was mainly due to the fact that its international calendar for next five-years included two home series against India on ‘neutral’ venue.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2015