PCB in huddle over resurrecting Pak cricket following bitter England tour

Lahore, Sep 24 : Now that Pakistan’s acrimonious tour of England has ended, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been reportedly considering a plan under which cricketing relations with England may be suspended, till Pakistan’s name is cleared of spot-fixing allegations.

The tour ended in bitterness between the cricket boards of the two nations, and Pakistani cricketers expressed strong sentiments over the way the ICC and the British media treated the visiting team, The Nation reported.

However, the PCB said that although its officials and legal team was trying to analyse the situation, no official move was likely. The general feeling is that the officials will be asked to remain silent in order to avoid further controversy, the paper said.

According to the paper, the board was also discussing steps it should take to maintain healthy relations with the cricket world and keep controversies away, particularly on tours against countries like England.

PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, on his return from Dubai, did not disclose details of the meeting he had with ICC president Sharad Pawar.

Since the issue of match-fixing was sensitive, the ICC, the PCB and all those involved might not speak to media, he said, adding, “It was a satisfactory meeting.”

The relation between cricket boards of Pakistan and England were strained to a great extent during the tour, especially after Butt’s allegation that England cricketers might have fixed the third ODI match at the Oval. The ECB did not push for an apology till the conclusion of the series, but now it has written to the PCB seeking “full and unreserved apology.”

“Mr. Butt has been advised that if a satisfactory response is not received, legal proceedings will be commenced against him without further notice,” said a joint statement issued by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

Top PCB officials had a long meeting to formulate the future course of action and take into account the legalities of the issue. “In this letter multiple demands have been raised. The board has instructed London lawyers, Addleshaw Goddard, to respond on its behalf to these demands,” a PCB spokesman said.