Take our word, says BCCI as PCB asks for written assurance

[Basil]

Take our word, says BCCI as PCB asks for written assurance​

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Confirming BCCI’s offer of a India-Pakistan series at a neutral venue, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf had asked for written assurances from the Indian cricket board.

Reacting to the demand, Board of Control for Cricket in India has said that Pakistan needs to take their word as they can’t give a written guarantee.

Speaking to Pakpassion.net, Asfraf said, “I wanted assurances from the BCCI. We want to be sure that this proposed series against India will actually take place. How do we know that this bilateral series will actually happen, because in the last ten years the BCCI has been reluctant to play against Pakistan! We have played two series against India during this stand-off and we are entitled to some assurances from the BCCI. There’s no way, I repeat, no way we will fall into the lure of BCCI promises regarding a bilateral series unless we have it in writing from the BCCI this time.”

He further added, agreement to play a bilateral series against Pakistan needs to be made on an official document.

When contacted, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel confirmed that talks along these lines had indeed taken place.

PROMISE MADE

“All I can say is that we are a cricket-playing nation and share cordial bilateral relationships with other countries. India has always fulfilled commitments, be it in the past or at present. We always stand by our commitment,” Patel told The Indian Express.

However, the Indian board is in no mood to give a written guarantee to Pakistan.

Ashraf maintained his stance that this time PCB won’t go by any verbal commitments.

“I don’t want to be in a position where I go back to my people of Pakistan and my Board colleagues and say to them that there was an alleged verbal agreement and afterwards the BCCI backtracks on this verbal agreement. I’d look a complete fool if that occurred and it’s not something that I want to happen,” he said.

Pakistan are wary of the Indians going back on their word.

“We will not agree to anything without a written agreement, a schedule and a full written plan regarding the bilateral series from the BCCI. Mr. Srinivasan wasn’t at the ICC meeting as his mother passed away but the whole BCCI team was there and there were no written assurances forthcoming from them regarding a bilateral series or Pakistani players playing in the IPL in future,” the PCB head said.


http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/take-our-word-says-bcci-as-pcb-asks-for-written-assurance/