Karachi: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Cricket Council, Haroon Lorgat, has made it clear that whatever the relations between the two countries, India has to fulfill its obligation of playing a bilateral series against Pakistan before current Future Tours Programme ends in 2012, even if that means playing at a neutral venue.

Pakistan was scheduled to host India in early 2009 but the series was cancelled in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and Lorgat said that the two boards should look to hold the series at a neutral venue, if not in the trouble-torn country.

“India was due to tour Pakistan early 2009 but they cancelled that series because of political reasons. But they have to fulfill the obligation before the next FTP begins in 2012,” he said in an interview. “We can’t force any country to play if political or security reasons prompt their government to instruct them not to play in a country, but such a series can be held at a neutral venue.”

Lorgat also said that the ICC didn’t want to have a situation where there was no international cricket being played in Pakistan for a long time and was doing everything to rectify the situation. “There is a lot of sympathy, a lot of understanding, a lot of acknowledgement that we need to do something to make sure that we support Pakistan during this difficult phase brought on by environmental factors,” he said.

Rubbishing suggestions that India was dictating terms to the ICC, Lorgat said this was a wrong perception by many and as far as the ICC is concerned, India is at par with the other member nations.  ”India is not dictating to ICC, this is a wrong perception and they are as important a member of the ICC as other countries,” he said.

Lorgat said that the ICC wanted to see the resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.

“From an economic point of view, it is important that Pakistan and India resume bilateral series and from the ICC perspective, it is also important that all our members have harmonious relationships. They are all members and we want to ensure that every one of them is working on sound relations with the other,” he said.

He also didn’t see any problem in Pakistan playing its 2011 World Cup matches in India. “This is something worked out at the organising committee level and we’ve been very clear in our minds that should Pakistan reach any of the venues they will play at those venues. That includes Mumbai, so if they get to the final, they would be very welcome to playing at Wankhede Stadium,” he said.

Asked about the impression that the ICC, unlike other leading global sports bodies, was dictated by political and diplomatic policies of its member countries which had led to isolation of Zimbabwe, he said the ICC was doing everything possible to help and support the nation get back on its feet.

“Zimbabwe remains a valuable member of the ICC and they are playing international cricket,” he pointed out.

Related News Headlines

• No Related Post

Cricketain Latest

• Sachin, Dhoni, Sehwag in race for ICC awards
• No-ball row: Sangakkara takes full responsibility
• BCCI will not pursue no-ball matter with SLC
• BCCI denies compelling fatigued cricketers to play
• Bowlers in desperate need of a break: MS Dhoni
• Yuvraj out with dengue, Nehra uncertain for Sri Lanka ODI
• “Pakistan players should be allowed to play in IPL 4”
• ECB asks Pietersen to stay away from Lalit Modi
• Munaf Patel called up as cover for Ishant
• Final squads for CLT20 announced, Flintoff not in CSK squad