DUBAI:
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that the national team’s recent resurgence has left arch-rivals India afraid to take them on and is forcing the delays in bilateral resumptions.
The neighbours have not played a Test series since 2007 but there were hopes of a thaw after the sides met in the World Cup semi-final last March. The teams are slated to play each other under the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme this year as well. But India’s hectic schedule has made it difficult to find a slot for the bilateral series, prompting Ashraf to accuse the Indian board of running scared.
“Because of the way our team is performing and the way their team is doing in Australia, maybe India are afraid,” said Ashraf. “For them, losing to Australia isn’t an emotional matter. But there are more emotions attached if they lose to Pakistan.”
India were routed 4-0 in their Test series in Australia to record eight consecutive away defeats, while Pakistan have not lost a series since August 2010. Ashraf complained that all requests by the PCB to revive relations had been unsuccessful.
“We’re ready to play against them when their prime minister and board president want the teams to play. Maybe it’s their selectors and team management who are afraid of facing Pakistan.”
India lose chief sponsor
Meanwhile, Indian cricket was hit by a major crisis when the long-time sponsor of the national team pulled out over differences with the board.
The Sahara group of companies, which has been a cricket sponsor since 2000, said in a statement that it was ending what it called a ‘one-sided emotional relationship’ with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“We feel such a one-sided emotional relationship can’t be dragged any further,” read the company statement. “We’re withdrawing from all cricket under the BCCI.”
Sahara also withdrew its ownership of the Pune Warriors team in the Indian Premier League over a dispute with the BCCI.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
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@Ahmed_USA:
Does assad play cricket?
Indian may have forgotten the broken Jaw of Srikanth and broken tow of Kiran Morey. Look at your record against Pakistan; ODI won 47 lost 67, Test Matches Won 9 Lost 12. Zaka Ashraf rightly said, you are afraid. Scapegoats is Indian Government, not allowing Indian Team to be further embarrassed. Already embarrassment is out of control in foreign soils.
India afraid????
hahahahhaha
Dream on Mr.Zaka ashraf !!!
Sportsmen are fearless
and u think that Sachin etc are afraid of Pakistani players ?? Looool!
Not only India, everyone else are afraid to play against Pakistan in Pakistan, not because of the bat and ball but guns and grenades.
I am not surprised at the totally immature and provocative manner in which Zaka Ashraf is trying to entice India to play against Pakistan. It's just a game of cricket and, frankly, nobody cares if Pakistan wins or loses against India. For the majority of Indians, Ashraf's remarks are silly, at best, and outlandish at worst. The man's remarks, to be put it mildly, do not reflect a healthy understanding of the game or people-to-people contacts. Pakistanis know -- and should ask themselves in all honesty -- why the world, including India, shuns them. Aside from the terrorist threat and violence already faced by the Sri Lankan team in 2009, Pakistani cricketers have a reputation of cheating, as the arrests of the three match-fixing Pakistani cricketers in Britain show. Grow up man, and stop throwing your verbal darts. We know this cheap trick from an old book which will not work anymore!
Is India really afraid or is Pakistan desperate to play against India to get some recognition and save whatever is left of cricket in that country? Zaka Ashraf's taunt, though not worth dignifying, are a cheap populist gimmick to provoke the opposite side to come and rescue Pakistan from its pariah status -- not just in cricket but also in the political arena where it is isolated. Cricket is supposed to be a gentleman's game and Ashraf is merely using pressure tactics which do not reflect well on him.
Pakistan voted correctly, the Syrian president is a power hungry killer. I have Syrian friends, who are extremely upset at Assad and want him gone.
Indian should come in this stage for cricket series in pakistan to prove better side than pakistan