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Advani wants to go `home` for match: The Pioneer
Varanasi, Feb 21: Even though BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya suggested on Friday that Karachi and Peshawar would not be the right Test venues for the Indian cricket team, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said he would love to go `home` to watch the game there, if invited.
Varanasi, Feb 21: Even though BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya suggested on Friday that Karachi and Peshawar would not be the right Test venues for the Indian cricket team, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said he would love to go 'home' to watch the game there, if invited.
He said he could consider visiting Pakistan after the elections are over. "I would be happy to watch a India-Pakistan cricket match, particularly in Karachi, which is my place of origin, if invited by the Pakistan Government but with electioneering coinciding with the cricket series, I would feel content watching the games on the television whenever I get time for that," he said in Varanasi on Friday.
Later in the day, speaking to The Pioneer on phone from Kolkata, BCCI chief Mr Dalmiya said Karachi and Peshawar would not be the perfect venues to host two of the three Test matches India and Pakistan are to play in the upcoming series in March.
Cricket Board sources said the BCCI is keen to play Test matches in Lahore and Multan and is in favour of playing the third Test match either in Faisalabad or in Islamabad.
"We want to make sure that the Indian cricketers spend minimum possible time in Karachi and Peshawar," Mr Dalmiya said. "But we are happy to play One-Dayers in Karachi and Peshawar. Above all, the good news is that the Indo-Pak tour is actually happening," Mr Dalmiya said.
He added: "Possibly, we may not be able to go to Pakistan on the dates talked about earlier. The tour could be delayed by five to six days. We have discussed the itinerary but it is not yet finalised. We would be announcing it on Saturday."
As proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Indian team's tour was to start on March 4. But Mr Dalmiya's announcement means it will now start in the second week of March. The Board chief also made it clear that the team would play three Test matches and five One-Dayers tour besides a warm-up game. He did not rule out the possibility of splitting the tour into two parts. "I have spoken to the PCB officials and they are of the opinion that splitting the tour means arranging the security all over again. Please don't be impatient," Mr Dalmiya requested.
"Everything will be made clear in the next twenty-four hours. Whatever we are doing is for cricket."
Even though Karachi appears to be out of the Indian team's Test itinerary, Mr Advani continues to have fond memories of the city of his origin. Mr Advani had last visited his hometown in Pakistan in 1978, as Information and Broadcasting Minister and had met the then Pakistan ruler General Zia-ul-Haq at the stadium where India and Pakistan played a match. He, however, would not remember who won the match.
Cricket Board sources said the BCCI is keen to play Test matches in Lahore and Multan and is in favour of playing the third Test match either in Faisalabad or in Islamabad.
"We want to make sure that the Indian cricketers spend minimum possible time in Karachi and Peshawar," Mr Dalmiya said. "But we are happy to play One-Dayers in Karachi and Peshawar. Above all, the good news is that the Indo-Pak tour is actually happening," Mr Dalmiya said.
He added: "Possibly, we may not be able to go to Pakistan on the dates talked about earlier. The tour could be delayed by five to six days. We have discussed the itinerary but it is not yet finalised. We would be announcing it on Saturday."
As proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Indian team's tour was to start on March 4. But Mr Dalmiya's announcement means it will now start in the second week of March. The Board chief also made it clear that the team would play three Test matches and five One-Dayers tour besides a warm-up game. He did not rule out the possibility of splitting the tour into two parts. "I have spoken to the PCB officials and they are of the opinion that splitting the tour means arranging the security all over again. Please don't be impatient," Mr Dalmiya requested.
"Everything will be made clear in the next twenty-four hours. Whatever we are doing is for cricket."
Even though Karachi appears to be out of the Indian team's Test itinerary, Mr Advani continues to have fond memories of the city of his origin. Mr Advani had last visited his hometown in Pakistan in 1978, as Information and Broadcasting Minister and had met the then Pakistan ruler General Zia-ul-Haq at the stadium where India and Pakistan played a match. He, however, would not remember who won the match.