Pak cricket boss threatens
boycott of India
Pakistani cricket boss General Tauqir Zia on Wednesday threatened to boycott all matches with India after his Indian counterparts declined an invitation to tour Pakistan this year.
"This puts us in a position where we would like to review our relationship with India and may not play them even in offshore, tri-nations, one-day events," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman General Zia said.
The first event to be affected could be a triangular tournament in Sharjah next April between Pakistan, India and New Zealand, he said.
"Although we have not been informed about the cancellation of the tour we have got confirmed news that India's tour is off -- it's disappointing," Zia told reporters during the Pakistan-England Test in Lahore.
"We will host the Asia Cup irrespective of whether India comes or not and the Asian Test Championship whether they play us or not."
India's cricket team was scheduled to cross the border for a five-match one-day series and three Tests from December but have been held back by the government, which blames Pakistan for fostering "terrorism" in Kashmir.
"We will protest officially with the International Cricket Council and ask them to include a clause whereby governments of Test-playing countries are not allowed to interfere in cricket," Zia said.
Pakistan had started their arrangements for the tour after ICC chairman Malcolm Gray wrote to the Indian government to try to confirm the tour.
"Even Mr Gray wrote to them but they have not relented," Zia said. "It's a loss for Asian cricket."
Pakistan will host the Asia Cup in April and the Asian Cricket Council, of which Zia is the chairman, has planned the Asian Test Championship in September.
India has not played a Test in Pakistan since 1989 although they played three one-dayers here three years ago. They have also pulled out of the five-match Toronto series including Pakistan two years in a row.
Zia said Pakistan would have no choice but to reject the ICC's ten year itinerary of international cricket unless the PCB received a guarantee that India would tour Pakistan.
Pakistan toured India last year, playing three Tests and a triangular series involving Sri Lanka despite threats from Hindu militants.
Mail Cricket Editor
