No cricket ties with Pakistan as of now: BCCI

New Delhi: The BCCI on Monday appeared to rule  out an immediate resumption of Indo-Pak cricket ties in the  wake of Gurdaspur terror attack, in which militants from the  across the border are believed to be involved. 

 

There were talks about resumption of bilateral cricket  ties between the two nations at the end of this year but BCCI  Secretary Anurag Thakur said that it may not be possible under  such circumstances. 

 

Asked specifically if India and Pakistan can resume cricket ties, Thakur talked tough and said it was not a possibility now. 

 

“Earlier also there was no such decision that the series will take place. Only the PCB has reached out to the BCCI. We were talking on those lines but when you see such attack on  India time and again, the Jammu region, now the Punjab, where  Indians are losing their lives, as an Indian I don’t see a  possibility to that,” Thakur told a TV channel. 

 

The Hamirpur MP condemned the terror attack in Gurdaspur,  where six persons were killed, including an SP. 

 

“I condemn the terrorist attacks, specially in the Gurdaspur region. If you talk about cricket with Pakistan, we must understand that life of every Indian is very important to  us. As I see my responsibility as BCCI secretary, as a Parliamentarian, life of every Indian is very important to me. It’s not only about cricket, it’s about my country.” 

 

Thakur made it clear that unless the situation improves, the two Asian neighbours won’t play cricket. 

 

“I think, before we step onto the cricket field, it’s important to clear the issues between the two Boards and the two countries. If we don’t clear those issues, it would not be possible to enter that territory,” he said. 

 

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, during a visit to Kolkata in May this year met with the BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya and proposed a series comprising three Tests, five ODIs and two  T20s in UAE in December this year. 

 

The series is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)  signed between the two Boards last year. 

 

India have not played a full bilateral Test series with  Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks which led to  suspension of cricketing ties between the two countries. 

 

The two nations played a short series of three ODIs and  two T20 matches in India in December 2012 but otherwise they  have met only in ICC-organised events or the Asia Cup.