The battle between the two cricket boards, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), over hosting a bilateral series has reached such a level that the fans have started to give up their hopes of watching India take on Pakistan in a bilateral series.
Few days ago, the newly appointed BCCI president Shashank Manohar had sent an offer to the PCB for a bilateral series in India in the month of December. But PCB chief Shaharyar Khan is not convinced with the offer and he has stated that Pakistan cannot play a bilateral series in India in December 2015.
However, the PCB chief has also asserted that the bilateral series will be possible only if India flies to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Few days ago, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had commented that Indian government will be allowing Indian players to fly to UAE and play the game.
"There is no question of playing in India. I still awaiting the reason of not playing in UAE. We went there in 2007 and 2012. This time not again. It is our series and we will play at our home venue which is the UAE," Khan said in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo on Monday.
Khan is equally surprised that Indian players did visit UAE and Dubai for the first leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2014. Khan is almost desperate to know the reason as to why the Indian government will not allow the Team India players to go to UAE and play the series.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two Boards in 2014, Pakistan was supposed to host India for two Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s. India will have to fly to Australia for a limited over series on 8 January, 2016. The decision has to be made in few days. PCB is also ready to omit the Test matches and host India just for the T20 and ODIs. BCCI is yet to send a formal request to PCB.
