MOHALI, March 6: I S Bindra, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday described as "unprofessional" trend in the subcontinent leaving things for the last moment.

"It is unfortunate but because of political reasons, the organizational aspects are left to be handled at the 11th hour," he told Dawn.

The high-profile Pakistan-India series which opens in Mohali with the first Test on Tuesday, suffered quite a few hiccups - row over the Ahmedabad venue where a Test had been initially scheduled and a wrangle over television rights - put this tour in doubt.

Fortunately the series, Pakistan's first in India in six years, was cleared much to the relief of thousands of fans on both sides of the border.

Mr Bindra, now the president of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), said that cricket was a great binding force between the two countries.

"In 1999, about 5000 fans had come from Pakistan to Chandigarh for a One-day match between the two countries. All of them speak nostalgically about that trip. We want them to take back even happier memories this time."

Mr Bindra who made the PCA Stadium one of the finest venues in India, said that he couldn't have been happier to be hosting such an important match. "It is a social carnival and there would be so much happening on the sidelines of the Test."

With a capacity of about 35,000 spectators, he felt that quality was more important than quantity. "We earn three times more money than those venues having three times the capacity of PCA Stadium."

"Ours is a spectator-friendly stadium while other bigger venues lack facilities for fans, like there are not enough toilets or proper car parks. To have a 100,000 people in a stadium is all very well but you also have to cater for their needs."

Mr Bindra now plans to take the PCA Stadium to the next level by 2020 and make it a truly world-class venue complete with corporate boxes, swimming pool, health club and a spa.

He also spoke about the pitch to be used for the Test. "My instructions were clear - that it should be a result-oriented. The matches played here have always produced results." Meanwhile, independent sources said that the PCA had sent out invitations to all former Pakistani captains who had played against India, except for Saleem Malik and Asif Iqbal.