Pakistan may face India in Asian Test tourney

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

LAHORE, MAY 25. A deadlock between Pakistan and Indian cricket teams would come to an end when the arch-rivals will face each other in the Asian Test Championship match in Pakistan this September.

Both teams would compete in a Test match between September 13 to 17 in Pakistan. Although Pakistan has not finalised the venue, it will likely be held at either Karachi or Lahore.

Two top officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) - President A. C. Muthiah and secretary Jayawant Lele - attended the Asian Cricket Council's meeting on Friday in Lahore and ensured Pakistan that Indian Government had no objections to participate in multilateral cricket tournaments, involving Pakistan.

``The Indian officials showed us a letter from their government which clearly states that India can participate in multilateral tournaments like Asian Test Championship, ICC Knockout tournament and the World Cup,'' Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told at a news conference.

Indian Government did not allow BCCI to compete in a bilateral three-Test series against Pakistan in December last year and also pulled its team from the triangular series in Sharjah last month in which Pakistan was among one of the competing teams alongwith Sri Lanka.

``As far as bilateral series between Pakistan and India are concerned the Indian government has not taken any decision in this regard,'' Zia said.

``If they want to revive bilateral cricket, India should first come to Pakistan.

``If they don't play against us in Pakistan, we are not interested to compete against them in their own country,'' he added.

According to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) 10-year plan, India is scheduled to play against Pakistan in Pakistan three times.

The officials of both country also planned to organise a quadrangular series early next year. Zimbabwe is scheduled to come to India in February 2002 while Pakistan hosts the West Indies during the same period.

``We are planning to organise a quadrangular tournament in both countries after that and I hope that this would materialise,'' Zia said.

An agreement between all the four Asian test playing countries - Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and new test entrants Bangladesh - would shortly be implemented under which all four would be bound to fulfill their international commitments in between them.

``We want to set an example, if any one fails to fulfill it's commitment, he should be penalised,'' Zia said. However, Zia was not sure what penalties would be.

In this regard, Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, Chairman of the Asian Cricket Foundation, has been asked to submit his suggestions in two months.

Judge appointed

Pakistan Government on Friday appointed a Lahore High Court Judge to launch judicial inquiry into two 1999 World Cup matches. A one-man commission of Justice Karamat Bhandari will complete the inquiry within two months into the Pakistan's defeat at the hands of minnow Bangladesh and India during the 1999 World Cup in England.

The Government today appointed Justice Karamat and he will also investigate into the allegations against umpire Javed Akhtar, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia said. United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) Managing Director, Mr. Ali Bacher, alleged last year that a bookmaker Mr. R approached Akhtar during the England South Africa Test in England in 1999. Akhtar gave nine leg before decisions in that Test match.

Sir Paul Condon, head of the International Cricket Councils Anti- Corruption Unit, who arrived in Lahore on Friday, said in his interim report that there were some apprehensions on Pakistan's defeat against Bangladesh in the World Cup.

The schedule of Asian Test championship:

Sept. 1-5: Pakistan v Bangladesh in Pakistan

Sept. 13-17: Pakistan v India in Pakistan

Sept. 21-25: India v Bangladesh in India

Oct. 2-6: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh in Sri Lanka

Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2002: Sri Lanka v Pakistan in Sri Lanka

Feb. 7-11: India v Sri Lanka in India

Feb. 15-19: Final in Bangladesh.

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