The long awaited India-Pakistan series finally seems to be gathering steam as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) only need a green signal from the government for the series in December to go ahead. The talks between the board and the government seem to have already started and further dialogues could take place in the coming days as well.
Though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were pushing the BCCI for a 'home series' in UAE, it might not happen so as the series might be played in India.
The PCB have been pushing the BCCI to fulfil the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two cricket boards in presence of ICC representatives. The BCCI had then agreed that India would play Pakistan six times in eight years, including the December series.
BCCI's new president Shashank Manohar had showed some interest in the series as he invited the heads of the PCB for a meeting in Mumbai last month, which as unfortunately called off as Shiv Sena members protested and stormed into the BCCI headquarters to protest against the meet.
Despite such incidents, the BCCI are willing to host Pakistan for a ODI and T20 series as the BCCI do not want politics to hamper cricket ties between the two countries. Few proposals are already in place including ODI and T20 matches.
"We want cricketing ties to happen, we don't want politics to hamper cricket. We will be going with a few proposals. One, where we can have five ODIs and two T20s. In the second proposal, we can have three ODIs and two T20s," The Indian Express quoted BCCI official as saying.
The official also made it clear that if the planned series goes ahead in India, they are going to make sure that the matches will be played in venues, which will not witness any external disturbances.
"All these games will be played in those parts of the country where we feel there will be no disturbance from political parties," added the official.
The BCCI president, Manohar, when quizzed regarding the India-Pakistan series in December after the annual general meeting on Monday, said, "To play against Pakistan, we need to get the government's permission. So we need to speak to the government and whatever decision the government takes, the BCCI will decide accordingly."
In a matter of few days, we shall come to know about the series' fate.
