- 04 Feb 2012
Zaka Ashraf says India 'afraid' of Pakistan - 01 Feb 2012
Pakistan-India series: BCCI president keen on revival, says PCB chief - 19 Nov 2011
BCCI invites Ashraf to discuss bilateral ties - 18 Nov 2011
Cricket: Ashraf receives cold shoulder from BCCI - 02 Dec 2011
Cricket: Weak boards more worrying than BCCI’s influence says Lorgat
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India afraid of taking on Pakistan: Zaka Ashraf
PCB chief laments lack of progress to revive bilateral ties.
The contrasting form of the Pakistan and India sides of late might have left the latter’s management reluctant for a showdown, according to Ashraf. PHOTO: AFP
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.
Reader Comments (10)
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Indian should come in this stage for cricket series in pakistan to prove better side than pakistan
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Indians always do this, whever their team is weaker, they refuse to play Pakistan based on some flimsy excuses, while Pakistanis are ready to play India, any time, anywhere, no matter the condition of the team. Last time when Pak team was at peak during Waseem Akrams era, Indians were terrified of playing Pakistan and made one excue after another.
Pakistan should also refuse to play India when our team is weak, but being the fighting spirited warriors that Pakistanis are, they never shy away from a good battle.
Come on India, why be so afraid, its just cricket, we promise to go not go easy on you.Recommend
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.
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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.
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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!
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Not only India, everyone else are afraid to play against Pakistan in Pakistan, not because of the bat and ball but guns and grenades.
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@Ahmed_USA:
“Flimsy excuse”? There are people who are blind and there are others who are retarded. You seem to be both if you call the Pakistan-inspired terrorism as “flimsy excuse”. There are many decent Pakistanis living in the USA and they are ashamed to mention they are from Pakistan because of the universal stigma attached to their nationality and origin. Indeed, some do not hesitate to call themselves Indian. Coming to the debate on India being “afraid” to play Pakistan, cricket is a lovely game but it has been perverted by Paki players whose only goal is to cheat and win. To suggest India is afraid to play against Pakistan, is a cheap trickster’s ploy to lure the reluctant opponent to play and rescue what is left of Pakistani cricket which is facing a near-boycott worldwide. Zaka seems to live in a fantasy world of his making. Losing a game in cricket is as much natural as winning it. Pakistan may have beaten England today, but it was treated with contempt at the way it was losing earlier. You cannot rule out that Pakistan may, again, start losing. Would the petty and silly man called Zaka Ashraf be prepared to eat his hat (sorry, the Taliban headgear that most Pak wear)?. Recommend
India afraid????
hahahahhaha
Dream on Mr.Zaka ashraf !!!
Sportsmen are fearless
and u think that Sachin etc are afraid of Pakistani players ?? Looool!
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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.
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@Ahmed_USA:
Does assad play cricket?
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