Pakistan Cricket Board hoping for tri-series invite to tour India

Desperate for regular cricket clashes with India, the Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping to convince the BCCI to host a tri-series later this year when the officials from the two Boards come face to face during an Asian Cricket Council meeting in Chennai on Saturday.

Reliable sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board told PTI that Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad will not only attend a meeting of the ACC but also hold discussions with BCCI officials.

"There is a strong chance that the BCCI might propose to have a tri-series sometime in December in India with Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the PCB is ready to accept this invitation," one source said.

He said even if the tri-series led to some rescheduling of Pakistan's home series against Sri Lanka in the UAE in December-January, the PCB and Sri Lanka Cricket would work out a joint solution.

"The PCB has got feelers from India that it is contemplating having the tri-series after having decided to curtail its tour to South Africa late in the year," the source said.

The BCCI is presently in disagreement with Cricket South Africa over the number of matches to be played in the series and on Wednesday even the ICC came out in favour of South Africa.

"But the Indians are clearly not happy with the re-entry of Haroon Lorgat into Cricket South Africa and are now thinking about the tri-series with Pakistan and India," he added.

Pakistan had toured India last December to play a short one-day series that marked the revival of bilateral ties between the two nations after 2007.

The source said the PCB is hoping that Ahmad would convince the Indian board to also talk in terms of a bilateral cricket series soon.

"PCB is keen for the tri-series as it will guarantee good money for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka," he added.

But the possible tri-series also comes at a time when the Indian government has not issued visas to the Faisalabad Wolves team to take part in the Champions League tournament.

"Subhan might also discuss this issue with the Indians. But apparently one thing is clear he is going there after the PCB got some sort of signal from the government," he said.

Pakistan's former captain Wasim Akram also told reporters here that Pakistan and India needed to have bilateral cricket ties.

"I have always said that politics should be kept apart from sports. If Pakistan and India play regularly against each other it will be good for the players of both sides."

"I have played many times against India and I know these matches are very special and unique and have pressure not only for the players but also for the people of both countries. In the past there is no doubt that cricket has played a big role in improving relations between the two nations," he said.