KARACHI: 

PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf has been trying to meet the prime minster – but in vain. Now, the Board is uncertain as to what course of action it should take.

The issue is complicated; if the PCB supports the matter it will be blamed for being ‘anti-Pakistan’ and ‘pro-India’. But if the Board parts ways with the ‘Big Three’, then it is very likely that their teams won’t be visiting Pakistan anymore. But even if they played with Pakistan, they would deprive the PCB of the already limited earning ventures.

Although the ‘Big Three’ have promised to help restore international cricket in Pakistan which has died over the past few years. But the PCB should realise that this is not possible in the years to come, given the current law and order situation.

India has also tried to lure the PCB by offering a Pak-India series and by assuring to open the IPL doors for Pakistani players. In its response, the ‘not very convinced’ PCB officials have demanded guarantees that the neighbour will honour its words. They say India’s record does not inspire confidence in its promises and the Indians are most likely to renege as soon as their problem is solved.

In this regard, the English Cricket Board has stepped forward to offer assurances about India’s promises. The ICC has set its ‘court’ in Dubai like an Emperor would do and is asking its subjects (small boards) to beg for small favours.

The chief of the Indian Cricket Board, Srinawasan, could not reach Dubai till Monday evening because of his mother’s death. But he is in contact with others through videoconferencing. The BCCI secretary, Sunjay Patel, is expected to fill in for Srinawasan.

Sources reveal that officials of Indian, English and Australian boards have been offering various incentives to smaller countries in exchange for their votes. In the beginning, Bangladeshi officials hastily decided to support the ‘Big Three’ but when protests erupted in their country, that the implementation of the proposals will deprive them of their Test cricket, they stepped back and decided to offer conditional support only.

Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa have opposed the proposal but India is striving hard to win their support. New Zealand seems to support the move, while the poor Zimbabwean board is not strong enough to maintain a fighting stance.

In a surprising move, BCCI officials also met their staunch opponent Haroon Lorgat in Dubai to iron out the old bitterness