Will Soon Talk to BCCI on India-Pakistan Cricket Relations: Shaharyar Khan
Shaharyar Khan, a career diplomat who was posted as Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi and also remained foreign secretary, said that he had always enjoyed good relations with the top officials of the BCCI.
The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shaharyar Khan has said that he will use his good relations with the Indian cricket board for the resumption of bilateral ties at the earliest.
Shaharyar, a career diplomat who was posted as Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi and also remained foreign secretary, said that he had always enjoyed good relations with the top officials of the BCCI.
"Whether it is Jagmohan Dalmiya, the late Raj Singh Dungarpur or Srinivasan I have good relations with them and I will soon talk to them about Indo-Pak cricket relations," he said.
Shaharyar said he was keen to talk to the BCCI about Pakistan players' participation in the Indian Premier League and the restoration of bilateral ties.
"We have been caught up in affairs of the Pakistan team but I intend to talk to the BCCI soon about the Champions League and the participation of our players in the IPL and restoration of bilateral ties," Shaharyar said.
The PCB chief said that no matter what the relations between the two countries at the diplomatic and political level, relations between the two boards had always been good.
Shaharyar was chairman in 2004 when he managed to get India to tour Pakistan for a full series after a gap of 14 years.
"It is necessary for our players to also take part in the Champions League and IPL and I think it can be done.
"We value relations with the BCCI because bilateral series have always helped the two boards a lot financially and we need to resume our bilateral ties soon to boost our financial position as well," he said.
Talking about Pakistan cricket affairs, Shaharyar said while he personally didn't agree with the concept of having a 10-member support staff with the national team, but it was a decision taken by his predecessor, Najam Sethi.
"I have my personal opinion and I believe it is not right to change a decision so quickly but I will be discussing this aspect with the team manager, Moin Khan and also had a talk with head coach, Waqar Younis about it. May be on the next tour we might have changes."
Shaharyar also said that the board was considering a plan not to allow its employees to hold dual roles, but made it clear that as far as Moin's role as manager and chief selector was concerned, no decision would be taken in haste.
He also said he didn't believe that pressing the panic button on the basis of one bad series.
"I know everyone is disappointed with the team's performances in Sri Lanka and some of the criticism is justified, but we have to be sensible and remember that just a few months remain before the World Cup," he added.
Shaharyar said he was applying this same rule for the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq also.
"We can't remove him on basis of one series and we have to wait and see what happens in the coming matches but decisions should only be taken with a cool and logical mind," he insisted.