India's tour of Pak 'officially off'

India's winter tour of Pakistan has been officially called off because of New Delhi's refusal to permit them to come, the Pakistan Cricket Board chief said on Friday.

India were scheduled to arrive on December 26 for three Tests and five one-day internationals.

But the Indian government's refusal to grant permission, alleging that Pakistan is promoting "cross-border terrorism" in the Kashmir region, had left the tour in jeopardy.

"We waited for any positive developments until December 11. But now with a heavy heart, we consider the series as officially off," PCB chairman Tauqir Zia said from the board headquarters in Lahore.

India's previous three tours to arch-rivals Pakistan in the last decade were also cancelled.

India last toured Pakistan in 1989-90 for a four-Test series under Krishnamachari Srikkanth while Pakistan last paid a return visit in 1998-99 for two Tests and an Asian Test championship match at Calcutta.

"We tried to persuade the Indians to go ahead with the tour because it would promote the game in the region while it will also help in defusing the (Indo-Pakistan) tension. But they have their own priorities and decisions to make," Zia said.

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The scheduled visit of a three-man Asian Cricket Council committee to India was also cancelled earlier this week after the Indian sports ministry said there was no change in its earlier decision.

Zia, however, repeated that he would reconsider Pakistan's cricketing relations with India.

"Naturally, we will have to review the situation. The PCB will suffer a loss of $15 million from the Indian government's decision not to send their team," Zia said.

He said he had been optimistic that the tour would take place after assurances given by former Indian cricket board chief Raj Singh Dungarpur.

"I am sure he (Dungarpur) would have tried his best but failed to convince the authorities," Zia said.

Dungarpur was in Pakistan in November for the International Cricket Council finance and development committee meeting at Lahore.

He had taken time off to fly to Islamabad to meet the Indian High Commissioner and asked him to persuade New Delhi.

"Dungarpur took the initiative after he saw the enthusiasm among the people of Pakistan, how keen they were to host and see the Indian players play here," Zia said. "It is very sad for the sport in this region that the series is now over."

While India have rejected the proposal of playing in a bilateral series, their team has been competing against Pakistan in tournaments where there were more than two teams involved.

Pakistan are now scheduled to face India in Sharjah in April in the Sharjah Cup where Sri Lanka will be the third participating team.

Mail Cricket Editor