Pakistan will not run after India for matches: PCB Chairman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani has asserted that Pakistan will not run after India for a bilateral cricket series.  

In a statement, PCB Chairman asserted that the suspension of cricketing ties between Pakistan and India was of great pity. “No other series is as closely followed as when the two arch-rivals square off against one another,” he added.

He further said, “I have clarified the PCB that we are ready to play a series with India but will not be running after them,” adding that they will make the first call. Ehsan Mani stated that he had been told that around 200-250 million people watch India-Pakistan series every time.

“The current situation is a little different.  My predecessor had tried very hard to persuade Pakistan and India to play matches. They even signed a memorandum of understanding, but India turned around and claimed that they can’t play until their government approves,” he remarked.

He also said that the people want India and Pakistan to play with each other, but several politicians are creating hurdles. “Pakistan has always been ready to play against India. However, the political push has always come out of India a number of times,” he added.

Ehsan Mani claimed that in 2004, the Indian government was unwilling to send their team to Pakistan due to former lieutenant general Tauqir Zia serving as the then-PCB chairman. Mani revealed that Zia’s connection to the armed forces was the issue

“After Zia step down from the post, the Indian government agreed to send the team in 2004 and the tour was an enormous success,” he clarified.