Disappointed PCB to review security threat in India ahead of WorldT20

On Monday, a meeting between Indian cricket board (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar and Khan was cancelled following protests by hundreds of Shiv Sena activists at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, against India having cricketing ties with Pakistan.

Khan, a former diplomat, was in India to urge the BCCI to honour the previous FTP MoU between the two boards for a short series in the UAE in December.

“Pakistan has always believed that politics and sports should be kept apart. We have tried to have this series (proposed series in December) because I know from experience cricket does help in some way to heal wounds and ease tensions between the two countries. We want to play India for cricket not for money,” Khan told a news conference in Karachi on Wednesday.

“We have not played them for last eight years (in test series) and we have done well. So it does not make that much of a financial difference to us. Let us say if the series is held in December it will be a bonus for us,” he added.

Relations between the neighbours have been tense after the collapse of planned peace talks between India and Pakistan in August this year. The two countries last played each other in a bilateral ODI series hosted by India, in 2012-13.

“We will wait and see for next week or so. Once we know the stance of BCCI we will decide. We will cross the bridge when we come to it. But we will have to review the situation about security for Pakistanis in India as our team also has to go for the World T20,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has also expressed concerns over anti-Pakistan protests in Mumbai, saying politics should not be mixed with sports.

“It’s always disappointing when such things happen. It’s not about Pakistan-India, but wherever it happens it is always disappointing because I am one who believes that politics should be totally separated from cricket,”  Misbah said.

 “Recently the Bangladesh-Australia tour problem occurred and that was also a disappointment,” Misbah said, referring to Australia’s cancellation of the scheduled tour of Bangladesh. As a cricketer we want to play each other and we don’t want any sort of politics involved in this sport.”

The International Cricket Council withdrew prominent Pakistani umpire, Aleem Dar from officiating in the final two One-Dayers between India and South Africa in the wake of the Sena protests. Dar had officiated in the first three ODIs.

News reports also said that former Pakistan fast bowlers, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, currently in India on TV commentary work for the India-South Africa series, will skip the final match in Mumbai and head home after the Chennai game.