LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan on Thursday urged the concerned authorities in India to come to a decision regarding playing Pakistan’s home series at the earliest as there was not much time left for preparations.
Speaking to media representatives here, he said India should inform Pakistan soon whether they want to play the series or not. “Very few days are left to prepare for the series if it happens...They should inform us about whatever their decision would be,” he said.
The cricket boards of Pakistan and India have been in a deadlock for months over a venue for the series. India had refused to play in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan's home away from home, and Pakistan rejected the prospect of playing the series in India.
Giles Clarke, who heads International Cricket Council's Pakistan Task Force, organised a meeting between Khan and BCCI president Shashank Manohar last week in Dubai, where Sri Lanka was chosen as the possible venue, pending clearance from the Indian government.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already given the PCB clearance for a shortened series at the neutral venue of Sri Lanka.
If both sides agree to play in Sri Lanka, the series will mark the resumption of bilateral cricketing ties between the two nations. Pakistan and India have not played a bilateral series since 2007. Cricketing ties were stalled between the two countries following the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
The PCB chief also criticised fitness levels of Pakistan’s ODI and Twenty20 players who were routed in the recently held series to England 3-1 and 3-0 respectively in the UAE.
He however cautioned the team management against experimenting too much in the T20 squad with the World T20 in India just around the corner.
Shahryar Khan also dismissed reports of divisions within the Pakistan camp following two series defeats against England on the trot.
He said he had full faith in the selection committee and urged the team management to focus on real reasons behind recent defeats, which according to him were deteriorating fitness levels of the players.
Besides physical fitness, the PCB chairman also stressed the need for mental alertness on the field in an apparent reference to a couple of appalling run outs during the limited-overs series.
Khan however expressed concerns over divisions within the team ranks over Mohammad Amir’s likely return.
“There are slight concerns over Amir's return to the side and as far as I know, the subject has been discussed in the dressing room. But we have told Amir that if and when he comes back, he will have to make sure there are no disciplinary issues.”
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