Pakistan was abuzz on Monday with news of Shiv Sena workers storming BCCI's office in Mumbai, hours before the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan and Najam Sethi were due to hold talks on the invitation of the new Indian board president Shashank Manohar.
Former spinner Abdul Qadir, while talking to Express News, said, "Unfortunately the trio of India, England and Australia has created a problem for cricket. If India wants a respectful solution to this problem, they should come to a third country and play the series but cricket should not end between both the countries.
"They should sit with and discuss all the problems. In my view, Pakistan-India series is bigger than Ashes and people watch it with great interest. We are playing against all countries in the UAE and I think the International Cricket Council (ICC) should interfere and schedule the matches between both the countries and that schedule should not be disturbed.
Shiv Sena storms BCCI HQ to protest Indo-Pak cricket meeting
"We should stop running after India now and put pressure on the ICC. Every cricket fan wants to see this series happening. It isn't right for the BCCI to walk away from a signed agreement." he added.
However, PCB Chairman Shahryar was still optimistic despite the incident. Talking to the Indian media, Shahryar said, "I was invited by Shashank here and the mindset is that we have signed an MoU and we should honour it."
Meanwhile, former PCB chairman Khalid Mehmood highlighted how Shiv Sena had a history of staging such protest, referring to the one that took place 14 years ago.
"Shiv Sena is repeating their past. In 1999, when Pakistan had to visit India for a series, Shiv Sena staged a protest of the same sort outside Wankhade stadium, and they ruined the pitch of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium. They also attacked late BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s house," Mehmood told Express News.
"But the difference at that time was that the government and the BCCI were on the same page. They both wished to play with Pakistan. Today, we are pleading for a series while in 1999 the Indian board was begging us to visit their country. They would call us time and again and we would protest that under such circumstances it was impossible to send our team to India. They went to the then Prime Minister who talked to the late Shiv Sena leader to stop violent activities.
Will be happy if Pakistan, India series takes place: ICC chief
"Right now, the Modi government does not want the series to happen and that is the reason they are promoting such violence," he added.
Indian Premier League chairman, Rajiv Shukla, was also unhappy with the incident.
"These kind of things are completely uncalled for. There has been a dialogue between PCB and BCCI and the dialogue will continue."
Another former PCB chairman Tauqir Zia believed India wanted to isolate Pakistan, even in cricket.
"There is nothing bad in having a dialogue but we should stop pleading. Indian government wants to isolate Pakistan as a country and they are not agreeing to play cricket for the same reason," said Tauqir, while talking to Express News.
ICC president Zaheer Abbas was not a happy to hear of the development either, but opined that the world body would not be able to take notice against such an incident. ICC CEO Dave Richardson also condemned the Shiv Sena attack.
Here are some Twitter reactions:
Hearing about incidents related to disruption of BCCI work in Mumbai. Cricket Board welcome to meet in Kolkata
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 19, 2015
Strongly condemns the attack on BCCI Office by Shiv Sena.
— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) October 19, 2015
https://twitter.com/mojorojo/status/656019768126939136
Shiv Sena should really think this through. An ICC ban on cricket in India would mean that India never win a match again.
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) October 19, 2015
Why doesn't Shiv Sena quit the BJP-led NDA government at Center ( and Maharashtra) that wants dialogue with Pakistan? #BCCI
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) October 19, 2015
https://twitter.com/FatimaAli52/status/655999782872326144
Why regret? I am proud of what Shiv Sainiks did. Exactly what Balasaheb would have wanted: Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena pic.twitter.com/4PoYZFTT5j
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2015
One thing that I don't get is, why PCB keep begging them to play with us? We shouldn't play with Shiv Sena Terrorist https://t.co/mGW9l0AETH
— Amaan K. Tareen (@AmaanKTareen) October 19, 2015
A majority of Indians also voted for the party that allows the Shiv Sena to operate the way it does. https://t.co/crSWXlzuHv
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) October 19, 2015
Shiv Sena threatened Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar and demanded to leave India. 'Shining' face of India!!!
— Hina Parvez Butt (@hinaparvezbutt) October 19, 2015
Shashank-Shahryar meeting cancelled after Shiv Sena protest. Given events of past few weeks, why was this scheduled in Mumbai in any case?
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 19, 2015
A majority of Indians also voted for the party that allows the Shiv Sena to operate the way it does. https://t.co/crSWXlzuHv
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) October 19, 2015
https://twitter.com/HowzzatUmp/status/656009714329751557
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