da supremo： The Asian Cricket Council had worked out the Asian Test Championshipfixtures after receiving the Board of Control for Cricket in India’sclarification on its government policies regarding cricketing tieswith Pakistan, former ICC President Jagmohan
da dobrowin： 30-May-2001The Asian Cricket Council had worked out the Asian Test Championshipfixtures after receiving the Board of Control for Cricket in India’sclarification on its government policies regarding cricketing tieswith Pakistan, former ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya said in Kolkataon Wednesday.”The fixtures were drawn up after receiving a clarification from theIndian Board. During the (Lahore) meeting, the BCCI had produced aclarification received from the Union Sports Ministry in response toits queries,” Dalmiya, currently chairman of the Asian CricketFoundation which will implement ACC’s programmes, told a pressconference.According to the schedule, India is to play Pakistan in Karachi fromSeptember 13 to 17.Dalmiya said the Indian government, in its letter to the BCCI, hadclarified that as per its general policy India could continue to playagainst Pakistan in multilateral tournaments at regular venues,including India and Pakistan.Taking strong exception to the “unilateral announcement” that Indiawill play Pakistan, Sports Minister Uma Bharti had on Monday pulled upBCCI President AC Muthiah for giving an assurance to the ACC on theissue of playing against Pakistan.Expressing unhappiness over the Indian Board’s stand, she said that toplay Pakistan, the BCCI has to first give a written proposal to theSports Ministry which in turn would forward it to the Ministry ofExternal Affairs for a final decision.Dalmiya, who released copies of the communication between Muthiah andthe Sports Ministry, said the Indian Board had produced the SportsMinistry’s letter at the Lahore conclave.Dalmiya said that the representatives of the four Test playingcountries from Asia who attended the Lahore meeting had agreed toparticipate in the ACC’s senior and junior events.Defending the ACC’s decision to draw up the fixtures, Dalmiya said,"We were aware of the strain in cricketing ties between India andPakistan. That is why we wanted something in writing from the IndianBoard. Since they had clarified our queries, we went ahead infinalising the fixtures".As per copies of letters released by Dalmiya, the BCCI PresidentMuthiah had sought clarification from the Sports Ministry on a"clear-cut" policy regarding playing Pakistan and definition of nonregular venues.Muthiah’s letter dated April 25, contrary to Sports Minister Bharti’sstatement that the Board had not intimated the proposals regardingplaying Pakistan in the Asian Test championship (ATC), had clearlystated that India and Pakistan would be required to play each other inthe forthcoming Asia Cup and ATC, events held on a rotational basis.The Board’s letter said that in the absence of a clear-cut policyguidelines from the government on venues and opponents, the BCCI wasunable to have a definite cricket calendar for the Indian team in theperiod to follow. The letter had sought policy guidelines from thegovernment on six specific points.In response to Muthiah’s letter, the Sports Ministry clarified that"regarding participation of India in tournaments indicated in the ICCcalendar, it is stated that participation in such events is coveredunder the general policy that India will continue to play Pakistan inmultilateral tournaments at regular venues."The Sports Ministry’s letter, dated May 10 and signed by JointSecretary BK Das, said that there was no change in the governmentstand regarding bilateral series against Pakistan."Regarding bilateral contests between India and Pakistan, theGovernment after careful consideration has already decided that in theprevailing circumstances it would be inappropriate for the Indian teamto participate in a two-nation tournament between India andPakistan".On the definition of non-regular venues, the ministry said that "weconsider all venues in Test playing countries and venues recognised bythe ICC for one-day internationals such as Kenya as regular venues".The Ministry also clarified that since the ICC Knockout and World Cupare multilateral tournaments, the ministry has no objection to theIndian cricket team playing in these tournaments despite the fact thatcertain matches within these tournaments may be played between Indiaand Pakistan either in India or in Pakistan.
