BCCI Seeks Centre's Stance on Bilateral Series with Pakistan

Mumbai, May 29: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday wrote a letter to the Centre, seeking its stance on a bilateral series with the Pakistan cricket team.

"Would be grateful if you could formally convey the policy/position of the Indian government on the need or requirement of prior clearance from govt for Indian cricket team to play Pakistan cricket team in inbound or outbound tours," wrote India's apex cricket authority.

Due to the political tensions between the two nations, the BCCI needs approval from the Indian Government before it can schedule a bilateral series with its arch-rival.

In 2014, the cricketing boards of both nations - the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) - signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which stated that the two arch-rivals would play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023.

According to the 2014 agreement, India was scheduled to play six series against Pakistan, four of them were going to be Pakistan's home series. While the BCCI has repeatedly snubbed Pakistan's request for resumption of ties, the PCB wanted its Indian counterpart to honour its commitment under the MoU signed, which is subjected to clearance from the Government of India.

Former PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had earlier claimed that the absence of a bilateral series between the two nations was solely due to the political tensions and that it had nothing to do with the cricketing boards of the two arch-rivals.

Despite not playing a full-fledged bilateral series against Pakistan since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, India has played its neighbour on a number of occasions in International Cricket Council (ICC) events, with the most recent coming in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. However, Pakistan did tour India for a short series in December 2012.