PCB officials to be in India for ICC meet

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping to make some headway in the resumption of bilateral cricket ties with India when its officials reach Mumbai later this month for an ICC meeting.

Sources in the Pakistan board said that the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the PCB would be in Mumbai next week for the World Cup final as well as to attend a meeting of the ICC starting after the final on April 2. "Although no formal meeting has been scheduled with the Indian board officials but we are hopeful that during the course of our stay in Mumbai we will make some more progress in the early resumption of bilateral ties with India," an official source said.He said the PCB was also looking ahead to the meeting of the foreign secretaries of both countries in which cricket was said to be on the agenda. India has not played Pakistan in any bilateral match since the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008. "The Chairman, Ijaz Butt and COO, Subhan Ahmed are going to Mumbai for the meeting of the ICC executive board and the chief executives committee but obviously since they will be in India resumption of bilateral talks will come up," the source said. He pointed out that ICC President and former BCCI head, Sharad Pawar had been very cooperative and sympathetic to Pakistan cricket in recent times. "We are hoping that with Pawar at the helm of affairs their will be some positive developments in relations between the two countries," the source said. The source said the possibility of both countries playing at a neutral venue might also be discussed at the unofficial meet. "Asian cricket affairs will be also be discussed on the sidelines as the preparations for the next Asia Cup have to begin soon," the source said. PTI