The much-anticipated India-Pakistan series, which has been scheduled to take place in December in Sri Lanka, has kept cricket fans across both sides of the border on tenterhooks as the series is yet to receive a green signal from the Indian government, who does not seem eager about it.
The series has already received a green signal from the Pakistan government, so the fate of the series rests in the hands of the Indian government, who will need to look into various elements, including the public sentiments before making any call.
The diplomatic ties between the two countries, which have not been great for the last few months, may pose a threat to the series as well.
"The government has given us an indication that public sentiment at the moment is against Pakistan, which is involved in anti-India activities. Also, there are only a few days left for the proposed series to start (in the latter half of December)," The Hindustan Times quoted a top Board of Control for Cricket in India's official as saying.
"If the government wanted us to play, we would have got clearance a long time ago. So, I don't think this series is happening."
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are waiting to hear from the BCCI, who are completely dependent on the government for the series as the cricket board are okay to play Sri Lanka in December for three ODIs and two T20 matches.
Initially, the PCB were pushing the BCCI for the series in UAE in December, which was originally scheduled. The BCCI were not keen to face Pakistan in the UAE so the venue was shifted to Sri Lanka, but the Indian government is yet to confirm about it.
If the series fails to take shape, it is going to be a huge disappointment for cricket fans from both the regions and also PCB, who wants BCCI to fulfil the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two cricket boards in the presence of ICC representatives. The BCCI had then agreed that India would play Pakistan six times in eight years, including the December series.
