India is engaged in frenzied cricketing diplomacy to appease its neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka on different fronts just days after being crowned world champions for the second time.
Ever since India and Pakistan featured in a high voltage World Cup semifinal watched by the prime ministers of both countries, there has been a growing tide to resume bilateral series between the south Asian giants which had been frozen following the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The decision to resume cricket ties was announced by foreign minister S M Krishna in Delhi on Wednesday, Times of India reported.
Although the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams have played each other in international and regional tournaments in recent years, the last series was held in 2007-08, when the Pakistani team visited India.
Now it seems a matter of time before the two countries resume bilateral tours though it is unlikely to happen before March next year when the Pakistan team is scheduled to visit India under the Future Tours Programme of the International Cricket Council.
The Mint newspaper quoted one government source as saying India’s cricket team would tour Pakistan next year, with a return series in India the year after.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had yet to be formally notified of the decision to resume cricket ties.
“We have not received any government announcement as yet, so the board has not discussed the matter,” BCCI chief administrative officer Ratna Shetty said.
No international cricket team has visited Pakistan to play any match since militants launched a gun and grenade assault on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team on March 3, 2009.
But the refreshing news is that India has also expressed its willingness to tour Pakistan.
I.S. Bindra, principal advisor to the ICC, said the resumption of direct cricket ties was a “welcome step.”
“It’s a nice thing not only for India, but for world cricket as a whole that Pakistan will come into the mainstream of world cricket,” he said.
Former Indian all-rounder Madan Lal also welcomed the move, but said the authorities would have to guarantee the safety of players touring Pakistan.
“It is always good for the game when India and Pakistan play each other,” Lal said.
“But the Indian government must be very careful. They must ensure that the situation is conducive for cricket in Pakistan.”
IPL row
Meanwhile, the BCCI is trying to diplomatically resolve the issue regarding Sri Lankan players selected to tour England next month being asked to quit the Indian Premier League (IPL) midway and return for training.
“We are in talks with the Lankan board and we hope to find a solution to this crisis soon,” a top BCCI official told Times of India on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Sport Mahindanda Aluthgamage had issued a directive on Tuesday ordering players selected for the tour of England which begins on May 14 to return for training on May 5.
The Sri Lankan sports ministry’s decision to call back its cricketers from the ongoing IPL could lead to “a potentially explosive situation” as far as the board’s ties with the BCCI is concerned, a leading newspaper in Sri Lanka said.
“The latest development is almost certain to create a tense situation in Sri Lanka’s ties with the world cricket’s financial power house, the BCCI, which more or less dictates terms to the ICC and world cricket as a whole,” the ‘Daily Mirror’ opined.
When the auction took place in January this year, the teams were told that the Lankans would be available till May 22 and team combinations were formed on that assurance. Now, if the Lankan sports minister doesn’t change its mind, the teams will have a lot to complain about, which could also lead to tension between the Indian and Lankan boards, Times of India reported.
The Sri Lankan newspaper further said that the decision was taken after Aluthgamage’s criticism of India’s alleged shabby treatment of Sri Lankan politicians at the World Cup final in Mumbai.
Ten Sri Lankan cricketers are contracted to various franchises, of which two of them are being led by Kumar Sangakkara (Deccan Chargers) and Mahela Jayawardene (Kochi Tuskers).
Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Tillekaratne Dilshan and Nuwan Pradeep are some of the Sri Lankan players involved in the fourth season of the IPL.
According to IPL rules, if a player misses a series of games, he won’t be entitled to get paid for those matches. However, the issue is not about money. IPL team owners are worried that if their top Lankan players miss the business end of IPL, it would affect the balance of their sides.
The move by the Sri Lankan government is in complete contrast to the one that was taken three years ago when it cancelled a tour of England in 2009 to allow the players participate in the popular T20 league.
Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Malinga, Dilshan and Kulasekera look certain to be picked for the tour of England. The Sri Lankans are scheduled to leave for the tour on May 11.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play their first Test match in England from May 26 and BCCI is hoping that some of the top Lankan players will stay back till the end-the IPL final is on May 28.
“We share a good rapport with the SLC. We will sort out this issue,” the BCCI official said.
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