Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani said discussions over resumption of bilateral cricket with their Indian counterparts, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), can only be held when the political relations between the two nations' governments improve.
Mani also confirmed that he won't be requesting BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to allow Pakistani cricketers to turn up in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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India haven't played Pakistan in bilateral cricket since a home limited-overs series in 2012, with their last meeting in Tests dating back 2007. In this period, they've only clashed in multiple team events such as the World Cup and the Asia Cup.
The IPL, on the other hand, hasn't seen any cricketer from Pakistan picked by the eight franchises after the inaugural edition in 2008 where they left their mark. The then Rajasthan Royals' (RR) left-arm quick, Sohail Tanvir, took 22 wickets in 11 matches in the team's only successful campaign till date.
"Over the years, the PCB has had a number of discussions with the BCCI regarding bilateral cricket," Mani told IANS. "Whether it is T20 cricket or bilateral, all things are in the hands of the BCCI. At this moment I don't have any intention of playing any T20 league with India. First, they have to sort out the bilateral (political) relations with us, and then we will talk."
With India visits being world cricket's biggest money-earners, Pakistan has had to make constant efforts in becoming self-reliant without them.
While the PCB has always been open to the return to good old ways, the BCCI has been citing lack of permission from the government here to play Pakistan.
"I am not talking to the BCCI about bilateral cricket. It is up to them to speak to us if they have something to say. The ICC (International Cricket Council) constitution says there should be no government interference. So, I think ICC should be talking to them [BCCI]," said Mani, the former ICC president.
On Pakistan's representation in the IPL, Mani informed there have been no conversations with regards to the matter with BCCI.
"No, not at all. This is very much a matter for the BCCI. But unfortunately, it's not in their hands either. We don't have that issue in Pakistan," he concluded.
