BCCI declines PCB's invitation of traveling to Pakistan for PSL 2019 final

BCCI’s decision of not sending its officials to Pakistan for the PSL final is believed to have been taken because of the current political scenario between the two countries.

The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India on Thursday turned down Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) invitation to come and watch the PSL 2019 final in Karachi on March 17. ICC President Shashank Manohar, who also hails from India, too declined the invitation citing personal reasons.

PCB had sent out invitations to all International Cricket Council (ICC) board members including BCCI. Officials from Afghanistan, England, Ireland, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka are expected to travel to Pakistan.

BCCI’s decision of not sending its officials to Pakistan for the PSL final is believed to have been taken because of the current political scenario between the two countries. The February 14 Pulwama attacks led to a war-like situation between India and Pakistan with Airforce of both the countries engaging in a dog fight a day after the IAF destroyed terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad’s base camp in Pakistan’s Balakot.

The matter finally went towards de-escalation after IAF Wing Commander Abhinanadan Vartaman, who was captured by Pakistan army after the dog fight, was released by Pakistan on March 1.

Earlier, DSports and IMG Reliance had pulled out of the broadcasting deal with PSL and stopped airing the fourth edition of the tournament live in India.

Karachi will host eight matches in the Pakistan leg of the tournament as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier decided to shift three matches from Lahore after political and military tension between India and Pakistan.

The Pakistan leg of PSL 2019 is slated to begin from March 7 with Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi locking horns.

Meanwhile, Committee of Administrators (COA) chairman Vinod Rai Thursday said the BCCI is still seeking an ICC ban on countries that harbour terrorism despite a recent rejection but was non-committal on whether India will boycott Pakistan at the World Cup.

At its board meeting in Dubai last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) dismissed the BCCI's request to sever ties with countries from where terrorism emanates though the Indian Board did not make a specific reference to Pakistan.

India and Pakistan are scheduled to play in the World Cup on June 16 and Rai said the due process will be followed before the final decision is taken on boycotting the high-octane clash in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.

"Let the time come. It is still four months away. We have expressed our concerns (over security) and they (ICC) said yes, 'security will be tightened' and everything else," said Rai after a COA meeting here.

Rai insisted that the ICC has not shot down BCCI's request of banning Pakistan from international cricket.

"The letter was placed. It clearly says Pakistan. It is a process which goes slow. Have we been able to boycott any of the countries in the Security Council? The process goes on slowly. We have started a process," said the former CAG.