New Delhi, India (BBN)-International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Dave Richardson has said that the world governing body wishes the resumption of Pakistan-India cricketing ties but cannot interfere in the matters concerning the Boards of the Asian neighbours.
We realise just how important it is for world cricket to have regular matches between Pakistan and India but unfortunately the ICC cannot interfere in this matter as it is a bilateral matter purely between two boards,” Richardson was quoted as saying, reports the Daily Times.
He mentioned the phenomenal response cricket matches between Pakistan and India bring in.
We have seen the interest and hype their matches generate even in ICC events but after the new governance system now bilateral tours are to be decided between individual boards and the ICC is only responsible for posting match officials,” he said.
So we can’t interfere or do anything in this matter but we would like to see them playing bilateral matches again,” he added.
Richardson also negated the view that ICC was not happy with the revival of cricket in Pakistan.
We didn’t send match officials because we look at a situation differently from national teams but it is not as if we don’t support having international cricket in Pakistan.
I thought it was a boost for Pakistan with the passion their people showed for the Zimbabwe series.
International cricket needs Pakistan as a strong cricket nation and team and we are always looking at ways to support them,” he stated.
Zimbabwe became the first team to visit Pakistan after the deadly attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009 but ICC refused to send its match officials for the limited over series in Pakistan.
The ICC official said that the body was directly responsible for the security of the match officials and had to take a decision by itself.
He also mentioned his interest in visiting Pakistan but couldn’t visit the country for the Zimbabwe series due to other commitments.
I was in the United States for business and couldn’t get out of there.
But I have been to Pakistan several times after 2009,” he said.
The ICC official said that if any other board wants to send its team to Pakistan it is a matter between the two boards and they have to deal with all aspects of the tour.
BBN/ZI/AD