BCCI-PCB talks rescheduled after Shiv Sena protest

 

MUMBAI : The much-anticipated talks between BCCI president Shashank Manohar and his Pakistan counterpart Shahryar Khan on the proposed bilateral series have been rescheduled for Tuesday after protests by Shiv Sena activists forced the Board to cancel the meet in Mumbai on Monday.

The meeting was to take place in Mumbai today but was cancelled in view of the protest at the BCCI headquarters during which hundreds of Shiv Sainiks stormed the Board office and gheraoed Shashank Manohar in his office.

“The talks have not been called off. Shashank Manohar and Shahryar Khan will speak to each other in evening today and tomorrow they are coming to Delhi for another round of talks,” IPL chairman and senior board functionary Rajiv Shukla said.

“In no way, the dialogue will be stopped. BCCI has never compromised with national interests,” Shukla said.

In tomorrow’s meeting, Shukla and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur will also be present. The PCB chairman is also expected to meet top government officials.

Manohar had invited Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan for talks on the much-anticipated series scheduled in December.

Khan and PCB’s executive committee head Najam Sethi are in the city for the meeting after discussing the planned series with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur earlier on the sidelines of the ICC meeting in Dubai.

Thakur had assured him a final decision could be taken later this month and conveyed Manohar’s invitation to visit India.

There is speculation that the two neighbours could play either a bilateral series in the UAE or agree to a possible triangular series in December also involving Bangladesh. Earlier, shouting slogans against Pakistan and the PCB chairman, the Shiv Sena workers asked BCCI chief Shashank Manohar not to have any ties with the neighbouring country, which they said sponsors terrorism.

Waving black and saffron flags, the workers sought to know from Manohar if he would go ahead with his meeting with the PCB chief here.

Sena Vibhag Pramukh Pandurang Sakpal told reporters that his party is firm that there should be no cricket matches between the two countries.

Asked about Sena being a part of the Maharashtra government, Sakpal said, “The government will do its job, we will do ours.”

“What we did today is Sena’s stance,” he said. The protesting Sena workers were later taken into custody by the police. “We are looking into it. Those detained will be booked as per law,” said a police officer.

Source : Times Of India