BCCI and PCB set to meet in Dubai to resolve bilateral issues

What’s the story?

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will meet in Dubai later this month in order to resolve the prevailing bilateral issues. The meeting is scheduled to take place on May 29^th wherein PCB are expected to push for a short ODI series between India and Pakistan at any neutral venue.

“PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, Najam Sethi and chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmad will be representing Pakistan at the meeting which will be attended by BCCI officials and a member of the interim committee in India”, a source privy to the developments told Press Trust of India.

The source added, “The consensus is that before the matter is sent to the disputes resolution committee the two boards should hold talks and try to work out a solution. Two rounds of talks will be held and if they don’t succeed then the matter will go to the committee. The BCCI did not share any revenues from that (2012/13) series which was undertaken by Pakistan as a goodwill gesture. Unfortunately, since then the BCCI has not reciprocated at all.”

The Context

With BCCI failing to adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), PCB is considering legal action and also preparing to sue their Indian counterparts for punitive financial damages incurred from loss of revenue due to the lack of bilateral cricket ties between the two neighbours.

The heart of the matter

According to the MoU, India and Pakistan are slated to take part in six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. However, due to the existing political tension as well as the unreliable atmosphere at the border, the Asian giants have not played each other outside of ICC events since the 2012/13 series on Indian soil.

Extra Cover: PCB-BCCI dialogue expected for Indo-Pak series during Champions Trophy

It is pertinent to note that PCB wants BCCI to play a brief ODI series at any neutral venue in return for Pakistan’s previous trip to India. The meeting has been organised in order to convince the Pakistani board to not take the case to ICC’s disputes resolution committee. Reportedly, ICC chief executive Dave Richardson will also attend the proceedings.

What’s next?

Having rejected PCB’s compensation demand, BCCI have been claiming that the MoU is not a binding contract. It remains to be seen if they play the force majeure legal card as evidenced from their previous statements that permission from Indian government is required for any bilateral cricket against Pakistan.

Author’s Take

Considering PCB’s eagerness for a home/neutral series against India, BCCI may have to concede to a short ODI series if they are to prevent the matter from reaching ICC’s dispute resolution committee. For the sake of cricket fans in both countries, let us hope that the two parties put aside their differences and resume bilateral ties.