Islamabad/New Delhi: The prospects of next month’s India-Pakistan series got a major boost on Thursday after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave his country’s cricket team the clearance to play the limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka.
According to a report by Geo News, Sharif has written to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), giving permission for playing against India at a neutral venue.
The PCB sought the prime minister’s permission for a series including Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODI) and T20s with India in Sri Lanka but Sharif has given permission for either T20, ODI or Test series with India in Sri Lanka keeping in view the security situation.
The series was originally scheduled to be hosted by the PCB in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to play in the UAE and offered to host the series in India. The invitation was rejected by the PCB.
Meanwhile, senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) functionary Rajeev Shukla said that the high-octane series may begin on December 15 in Sri Lanka.
Taking a cue from Sharif, Shukla said: “India-Pakistan series will happen tentatively from December 15 in Sri Lanka.”
“I am optimistic that the government will give the go-ahead to us. Both the parties have agreed for Sri Lanka as a venue. The whole idea is to resume cricket between the two countries,” Shukla, who is the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman, said.
International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Pakistan Task Force head, Giles Clarke, earlier organised a meeting between BCCI president Shashank Manohar and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan last week in Dubai, where Sri Lanka emerged as the likeliest possible venue.
After a fruitful meeting, both boards sought permissions from their respective governments. The BCCI wrote to its union home ministry seeking clearance for the series to go-ahead in Sri Lanka.
While Sharif pressed the green light on Thursday, the stand of the Indian government is eagerly awaited.
— IANS
