Pakistan threaten to boycott India if UAE series cancelled

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan has threatened to boycott India in ICC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events if the BCCI officially refused to play the proposed series against Pakistan in December, according to a report.

Earlier this month the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeking confirmation as to whether or not India would play two Tests, five one-day and two Twenty20 matches in the United Arab Emirates in December and January.

In a hard-hitting statement, Khan said it was disappointing that until now the BCCI had not even sought permission for the December series from the concerned ministry in India.

“Nothing is final or decided as yet but if the Indian Board officially backs out of the series, then we have the option of boycotting all matches against them in ICC and ACC events as well,” Khan was quoted as saying by ‘Express’ newspaper.

Khan, a retired career diplomat, said that with December approaching, the BCCI needs to come out with a clear reply to the letter sent by the PCB regarding the status of the proposed series.

“I sent the letter on 28 August and I am still waiting for a reply.

"They (the BCCI) should tell us whether they want to play the series or not. Because if they say they don’t have government clearance and refuse to play the series, then we reserve the right to act against the Indian Board for not honouring an agreement at every level,” Khan added.

The PCB chief also said that since the secretary of the BCCI - Anurag Thakur - was a politician, that was why he was giving negative statements on Indo-Pak relations.

Khan made it clear that if the BCCI backed out of the MoU signed for the proposed series, then Pakistan would have to consider several options and one of them could be the refusal to play against India in ICC and ACC events or at any level.

“I am not saying we have decided to do this or we will do it but certainly if we don’t get to host our home series in December, then we have to consider appropriate action as well,” he said.

India and Pakistan have not played against each other since 2007, the last time the two countries played a proper bilateral Test series.

Pakistan toured India in late 2012 for a short ODI series and apart from that tour, the two countries have only played against each other in ICC or ACC events.

Pakistan paid a short visit to India to play two Twenty20 and three one-day internationals in December 2012 but that failed to revive the bilateral series.

In July, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said cricket was not possible under the current strained relationship between the two countries.

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