Yesterday it was
And the thorny issue of whether Pakistan will be able to travel to India and play World Cup games there is yet to be resolved.
Butt said the final decision on whether Pakistani cricketers will be allowed to go to India will be taken by the government.
''It's for our government to decide about it,'' he said.
Last year, India refused to send its team to Pakistan after a terrorist attack in Mumbai in November.
Since then, both countries have suspended sporting ties though there have been a couple of minor breakthroughs with Pakistan sending its squash and table tennis colts across the border for international events earlier this summer.
When asked whether there are any contingency plans in case political situation in 2011 prevents his team to play on Indian soil, Butt said there will be no World Cup without Pakistan.
''Off course, there are contingency plans,'' Butt said.
''If there are security problems then the World Cup will go to Australia and New Zealand. But if by any chance Pakistan cannot take part in it, then there will be no World Cup,'' stressed Butt, a former Test cricketer.
Today it is
Well-placed sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board told PTI that ICC President David Morgan, during his talks with PCB chairman Ejaz Butt, had assured that he would try to convince the BCCI to play a series in England.
"Morgan has made no promises but has assured Pakistan he would use his good offices to try to organise such a series next year," a source said.
India have suspended bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan since last November's the Mumbai terror attacks.
"The proposal is for three Tests, three One-dayers and a couple of Twenty20 matches," the source said.
He said Morgan had assured Pakistan he would try to do everything to help them overcome the financial loss caused due to the sifting of the World Cup matches from here due to security reasons.
Pakistan is due to play Australia next year in England apart from a separate series against Andrew Strauss' men.
"If India agrees the series could be squeezed in at a time when both teams are free of international commitments," the source said.
The source said Butt told Morgan that the PCB would lose nearly $70 million from television rights deal with Dubai based Ten Sports network if India didn't play a bilateral series in Pakistan.
Based on his utterences, Ijaz Butt makes a solid case for administrators to be included in the WADA regime!
8 comments:
A clown, a puppett and a joker. Ideal to be kept in circus for entertainment than in the PCB...
No world cup without Pakistan ? Gracious heavens. Calypso kings aint that strong force that they wont be replacable....
if they dont play their games in India, award the games to the opposition, simple. Like in 96 for SL....
I won't make Butt a butt of all dirty jokes. I can imagine what the guy is going through.
As PCB head, he has this unenviable job of reasoning with the ICC and then placating the jingositic mob back home which is baying for his blood.
Butt knows Pakistan is not safe to host WC matches. But how you break the news to a volatile nation seething with anger after losing their share of the matches? Come on, Butt has to live there.
So every now and then, he has to pretend that he is doing his best to convince ICC alter it's decision.
To his credit, he has already managed to ensure that Pakistan havn't lost anything financially. Without hosting a single match, they would get the full host revenue and this is no mean task.
And if he manages to get an Ind-Pak series in England, he would further rise in stature, in my eyes at least.
Homer,
There is no meening of playing cricket in neutral grounds it's just for improving relationships.Pakistan cricket will not gain as much as if they could have organized series on their own land.Last time Pakistan had organized series against Australia in UAE but UAE denied to give their force to protect cricketers from any terrorist attack.
Homer,
A good post on cricinfo but read the last couple of sentences to see the laziness...
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/inbox/archives/2009/08/keep_wada_out_of_cricket_1.php
Sam,
No World Cup without Pakistan and India should play Pakistan in England.. I could use what Mr Butt is smoking :)
Cheers,
Som,
He has to play to his constituency and he is welcome to do that but the notion that he can then enlist the ICC to arm twist India into playing Pakistan in the UK is beyond fanciful.
And given the hostility the current PCB administration has towards the BCCI, good luck getting the BCCI onside.
Cheers,
Vikas,
Pakistan is free to stage its matches wherever. The notion that India should then play ball is ridiculous.Especially in light of the rather open hostility the PCB has directed towards the BCCI.
Cheers,
Prabu,
The BCCI's motives are always murky.. For non murky motives look no further than the ECB's dealings with the ponzi schemer.
Cheers :),
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