India to play cricket with Pakistan or lose points, says Najam Sethi
As per reports, BCCI representatives met sports minister to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan.
LAHORE (APP) – Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi has made it clear to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that they have to play against Pakistan, or otherwise they will lose the ranking points.
Addressing a press conference here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday after the PCB governing board meeting, Sethi said: “Either the BCCI will have to let their team play against Pakistan or forfeit, in case the teams are drawn against each other in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship. They also have to lose precious points.”
There were reports in Indian media on Wednesday that the BCCI representatives met Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to discuss the possibility of resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan. When Sethi was pointed out towards this, he said he has not received information regarding any progress made on the other side of the border. “I have not received any official information but to be honest, I don’t think India have a lot of choices,” said Sethi. “Either they will play us or they will forfeit and we will get the points. I don’t think any team has a third option.”
The PCB chairman then explained why the announcement of the schedule for the third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been delayed. “The schedule was ready, but the delay took place because Dubai and Abu Dhabi want more matches in the third edition. Therefore, we had to withhold the schedule as our team is going to the UAE to discuss possible solutions.”
Sethi also claimed that all the foreign players are willing to travel to Pakistan to play the PSL-3 matches to be held in the country. “All the players have agreed to come to Lahore. There are a few, who are reluctant about coming to Karachi, so we have planned a second draft.”
The PCB chief said the renovation of Karachi’s National Stadium for the PSL-3 final will be completed in February. The renovation of the stadium is in full swing and it will be completed well before the final of the super league.
He said that the audit of the first edition of the PSL has been completed whereas the second edition’s audit process is in progress. “For audit of the PSL-2, a committee has been formed which will be headed by Arif Ijaz while Mansoor Masood, PCB Chief Financial Officer Badar M Khan and PCB internal auditor will be its members. The committee will complete the audit report in four weeks.”
When Sethi was reminded about a complaint of Quetta Region’s representatives for not including Quetta players in Quetta Gladiators, Sethi assured that the regional players will be selected in the cricketing league. “We will also try to create more franchise in the league. We hope that the franchises will support us in this regard as the right to pick the players rest with them,” he added.
The PCB chief claimed that the complete PSL will be played in Pakistan within two years. “We are gradually bringing the league to Pakistan and the time is not so far when the entire league will be played in the country. But for this, we need to establish and renovate more and more stadiums, so that it may be conducted at different cities in a befitting manner and the cricket-crazy nation may witness the cricket heroes playing in front of them.”
Sethi said that after a long time, the women cricket team has produced good performance. “All the players, captain and manager are happy with women team coach Mark Coles and I hope under his coaching, the team will keep on excelling at international level,” he said. “Shahid Aslam has now been appointed senior general manager of women team while the PCB will advertise for the general manager post,” he added.
He said that Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus Khan served the former PCB chairman Shaharyar M Khan as his advisors and this tradition would be continued and besides these two, one more cricketer will be included in the advisory team.
