Indian cricket team may keep off Sharjah

NEW DELHI, MARCH 26. The Indian cricket team is unlikely to take part in the three-nation series in Sharjah next month. Official sources said today the Government was still considering the cricket board's request for permission to play in the tournament in which Pakistan is also a participant.

A decision is to be taken in a day or two but, the sources said, it was highly unlikely that the Government would permit the team in view of the reported presence in the United Arab Emirates of the Indian underworld and its involvement in betting and match- fixing in the past.

Sources said the Government was also not too enthusiastic about the Indian team playing against Pakistan after the Kargil conflict. The tournament is scheduled be held from April 8 to 20 with Sri Lanka as the third team.

Asked to comment on the issue, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said he was not aware of any decision in this regard. Whatever decision was taken, it would be announced by the Sports Ministry. When reminded that the cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan earlier this year was announced by the MEA, he said that cancellation was on security grounds.

Asked whether a Minister from the United Arab Emirates was in town to persuade the Indian Government to give the nod for its cricket team's participation in the Sharjah tournament, the spokesman said he was not aware of it.

`BCCI has no say'

The Indian Cricket Board today dismissed Pakistan's threat not to play against it in future if India did not go to Sharjah saying "there is nothing we can do".

Reacting to the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mr. Tauqir Zia's threat that his country would not play against India in any tournament anywhere if it did not play in the tri-nation series, the Cricket Board Secretary, Mr. Jaywant Lele, said "the PCB must understand that the decision not to go would be that of the Government and not that of the BCCI".

Contractual obligation

"The board has to go by the wishes of the Government. If Pakistan does not want to play with us, there is nothing we can do," Mr. Lele told PTI on phone from Pune. "The Government has every right to decide whether the Indian team should go to Sharjah or not. But, if it refuses permission, we would like to know the reasons as we have contractual obligations with the International Cricket Council to fulfil," Mr. Lele said.

"We have to explain to them if we pull out of a scheduled fixture. So, while the Government has every right to give permission or refuse it, we would like to be told why, in case, they refuse permission," he said.

- PTI

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