Date:09/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/09/stories/2008120956741800.htm

Sport - Cricket

PCB may ask BCCI to play series in neutral venue

Karachi: With the Indian government unlikely to clear Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his teammates for the Pakistan tour, the cricket board here is hoping that it would be able to convince BCCI to play the series in a neutral venue.

As of now, BCCI is awaiting an instruction from the Indian government for the series which ran into trouble after relation strained between the two countries in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, however, is still hopeful that it can convince its Indian counterparts to play at neutral venues.

“The PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt has so far failed to get any response from the Indian board. After the Mumbai attacks with the Indian media has reacted strongly to Pakistan’s involvement in the attacks the Indian board has also gone silent on the tour,” a PCB source told PTI.

“The Pakistanis are now planning to take the ACC Executive Council meeting in Chennai on December 12 as an opportunity to urge the Indian board to at least play the Test series on schedule at neutral venues like Colombo, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah,” the source said.

India was due to tour Pakistan from January 4 to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match. — PTI