NEW DELHI: President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Roger Binny and vice-president Rajeev Shukla have accepted the invitation of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and will be visiting Pakistan from Sept 4-7 during which they will watch a couple of matches of the Asia Cup ODI tournament in Lahore.

According to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report on Saturday, the PCB had invited all the principal office-bearers of the BCCI and it is understood that the president and the vice-president have got the Indian board’s approval to accept the invitation accorded to them.

Hosts Pakistan face Nepal in the first match of the six-nation regional event on Aug 30 at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan after which four games will move to Sri Lanka for the remaining matches including the much-anticipated Pakistan-India encounter in Pallekele.

“[Roger] Binny, [Rejeev] Shukla and secretary Jay Shah will be in Sri Lanka for the marquee India vs Pakistan clash in Pallekele on Sept 2. The trio will be back in India on Sept 3 after which the BCCI president and vice-president will travel through Wagah Border to Lahore,” a source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

In fact, both Binny and Shukla have been invited with their respective spouses for an official dinner scheduled to be hosted by the PCB at the Governor House in Lahore on Sept 4.

It is understood that the two top BCCI officials will watch the Afghanistan-Sri Lanka game at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sept 5 and Pakistan’s opening Super Four fixture the next day at the same venue.

Shukla, it maybe recalled, was also part of Indian cricket contingent when Saurav Ganguly-led Indian team toured Pakistan in 2004.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2023