PCB may move ICC if BCCI backtracks

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday hinted that it might approach the International Cricket Council for remedy if the Indian cricket team backed out of its tour of Pakistan at the eleventh hour on grounds of security.

Reacting to reports that the Indian home ministry favours rescheduling of the tour until after the Lok Sabha polls, PCB chief Sheyar Khan told reporters in Islamabad that the Pakistan board strongly believed that the tour would take place and it would await an official word from Indian cricket board.

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The PCB went ahead with the arrangements, including preparations to provide foolproof security to the Indian cricketers, and is very much hopeful that the tour would take place. It has already incurred millions of dollars in expenditure for the Indian tour, which has generated tremendous interest among cricket lovers in both the countries. A cancellation or postponement could result in resentment, he said.

• Should India tour Pakistan?

A PCB official said it believed the tour was very much on, as the BCCI has given it in writing that the Indian government has given the permission for bilateral matches with Pakistan. Accordingly, the two boards worked out an itinerary. Therefore, the PCB believes that the BCCI would not go back on its commitment.

The reports from New Delhi were causing 'deep concern' in Islamabad and could turn out to be a 'major embarrassment' for both the governments as Pakistan security officials, in an all-out effort to convince the Indian officials, organised a demonstration of the arrangement resulting in traffic being blocked for about an hour in Karachi. "We are doing all we can," he said.