MUMBAI, Nov 19:
The cricket fans will have to wait a few more days to find out whether the iconic bilateral series between arch-rivals India and Pakistan would go ahead next month.
“Wait for a couple of more days,” was the cryptic retort by BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur to a reporter’s query on the issue after fresh talks have taken place between the heads of the two countries’ cricket boards.
While the BCCI has invited Pakistan to play the series in India, its counterpart PCB has declined the offer and has said the series will have to take place in UAE where all its home international games are being held over the last few years.
Asked why the BCCI was not interested in playing in UAE, after conducting the initial phase of the Indian Premier League there in 2014, Thakur kept mum for some time before saying for a bilateral series the participating cricket boards must feel comfortable over the venue.
“For any international event organised by ICC or ACC, it’s up to them to decide which is going to be the venue. For a bilateral series it’s upto the two nations to decide where they are comfortable,” he said.
Meanwhile, the two-member committee formed by the BCCI to probe “Snoopgate” by the previous regime met former secretary Sanjay Patel and former/current treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry to delve deeper into the issue.
“They (Ajay Shirke and G Gangaraju) met today (with Sanjay Patel and Anirudh Chaudhry) and sought certain details. They (Patel and Chaudhry) sought some time to reply with details. It’s (probe) going to take some time (to be completed),” said Thakur.
The matter about BCCI having engaged a British firm to snoop on its members for a consideration reportedly to the tune of USD 900,000, had come up during the November 9 AGM of the Board here, following which it had set up the two-man committee of Shirke and Gangaraju to probe it. (PTI)
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