The decision has no bearing on revival of bilateral ties. The Pakistan Cricket Board welcomed the first step.
The ice seems to be breaking between the neighbours, more precisely between India and Pakistan cricket. The frosty relations between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), just like the feud between the two governments, had led to a cricketing deadlock for close to four years.
Now, the first move has been made.
On Saturday, the BCCI decided to invite Pakistan for the Champions League Twenty20, scheduled be held in India in October. This is the first time a Pakistan team (barring the instance of the 2011 World Cup) will be allowed to travel to India since the 26/11 attacks.
The decision to pave the way for Pakistan’s participation in CL T20 was made at the BCCI’s working committee meeting in Chennai. So, Pakistan’s domestic champions Sialkot Stallions will feature in the tournament run by India, Australia and South Africa.
“The working committee has decided to invite a team from Pakistan to play in CL T20,” N Srinivasan said. “We will recommend to the governing council of the CL T20 that the BCCI has no objection,” the BCCI president commented.
There is, however, no indication that the move will lead to a full-fledged cricket series between the countries. BCCI’s insiders expressed ignorance of any sort of pressure from the Indian government to extend an olive branch to their neighbours. “Today, the decision is limited to the Champions League. So, I don’t want to say anything beyond it,” Srinivasan remarked when asked if the move will have further repercussion towards the revival of India-Pakistan cricket.
The decision attracted instant delight from across the border. “We welcome the decision,” said a spokesman for the PCB. “We’ve been in constant touch with the BCCI and we’re delighted that a positive decision has been taken,” the spokesman told DNA. He also hoped that the move will lead to a full-fledged series between the countries.
Meanwhile, the BCCI decided to make a one-time payment for former cricketers from the IPL surplus. Over Rs70 crore will be disbursed among 160 international and domestic cricketers, who have retired before 2003-04. “From the surplus of IPL, BCCI will make a one-time benefit payment to cricketers who have retired before 2003-04 in recognition of their services to Indian cricket,” the board said in a release after the working committee meeting.
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