NEW DELHI: Ehsan Mani, a former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), feels that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was wrong in agreeing on a brief limited-overs series in India.
“I think the PCB is wrong to have agreed to this. If it is a political decision, then the PCB should have asked the politicians to make sure that India reciprocated by coming and playing against Pakistan even if it was at a neutral venue,” said Mani, who represented the PCB in ICC from 1989 to 1996. Mani doubts whether India would reciprocate in the same way by playing in Pakistan. He said the Indian cricket board was responsible for isolating Pakistan in international cricket after the 2008 Mumbai attacks by Pakistani nationals. “India owes Pakistan two series which it has cancelled out. It is totally wrong that Pakistan should be going to India. My opinion is Pakistan should not be going to India at all. India or the BCCI went out of its way after the Mumbai attack to isolate Pakistan cricket at the ICC,” Mani was quoted as saying by Pakpassion.net.
The Pakistan team will tour India for the first time for a bilateral series since 2007. Sporting ties between the two countries were snapped after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. But Pakistan played the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup against India in Mohali.
Mani said that PCB is just helping the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to fill its overflowing coffers “with no assurance of a reciprocal tour”. “This short series will enable BCCI to earn over $100 million, probably as much as $150 million. All were doing is to help India make a lot of money out of us, with no assurance of a reciprocal tour,” Mani said.“So I think it has not been thought through properly. It is sort of trying to get the headlines. I dont see any benefit to Pakistan cricket in terms of getting cricket back to Pakistan by playing this series. Certainly, I am not in favour of it,” he said.
He is dead right .... a useless tour .... god forbid if somewhere something happens in the coming months then kiss goodbye to "relations"
PCB needs to improve the State of Pakistan Cricket e. g. Domestic FC and OD standards .... set goals for the next 5-10-15 years .... build up bench strenght .... aim to be Nummero Uno in all three formats for a long period of time regardless of where u play ur "Home" cricket
Why must we become beggers infront of anyone ..... Do the PPL at the PCB really believe that tour will help Pakistan Cricket at any front (Domestic/international) ????
I dont think it is wrong to tour India. We cannot and should not invite them over to Pakistan as it will create security problems and we cannot guarantee their safety. However, this tour could be the ice breaker and maybe they will tour and play us in Dubai. If they dont than we should sever our ties not now.
Agree with EB. Think it is good that the tour is happening but
If Indians didn't reciprocate the gesture by accepting an invitation from PCB to play a bilateral series in UAE (don't want any team to visit Pakistan right now) a few months down the line, then Mani would have a very valid and strong point
As much as i would like to believe this series could be an ice breaker just have look in to the last decade ..... India toured pakistan 2003 after how many years ??? ..... Then all of a sudden an overkill of playing each other followed 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2007 in India ..... Just follow the ICC FTP and that's that ..... Now if one Party doesn't respect that how come the other is hell bent on keeping the wheel turning .....
What is the benefit of this Tour for our cricket and it's immidiate, mid-Term and Long-Term future .... to me it there non visible
To be taken seriuosly (when u don't have the financial weight to throw in) the only option is to have a strong Team (paired with a strong Board) which can test any opposition in "home" and away conditions over a longer period
Only BCCI (and a few Media Outlets) will gain from it and u know what i mean
At the end of the day Pakistan needs cricket. All things said and done, India will not agree to play Pakistan in UAE going by the previous experiences. Also Mani is just trying to stay in the news I suppose.
Pakistan needs Cricket but not bheek. India is not serious, they want us to play on their terms and keep dragging politics everywhere.
India has been doing everything possible to destroy our cricket and we are treated as the begger to which BCCI is thorwing some change every now and then.
Pakistan needs Cricket but not bheek. India is not serious, they want us to play on their terms and keep dragging politics everywhere.
India has been doing everything possible to destroy our cricket and we are treated as the begger to which BCCI is thorwing some change every now and then.
I agree to what Mani says.
I know it man BCCI doesnt want Pakistan Cricket to Flourish thats why they refused us to play anywhere else But still i want Pakistan to tour India and defeat them at their home ground this time
