KARACHI - The interim chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi, has said that he will be meeting with his Indian counterpart next month to discuss a host of issues, including the resumption of bilateral cricket ties and Pakistani players’ participation in IPL.
"The Indian Board (BCCI) chief, Srinivisan has agreed in principle to have the meeting and I am hopeful we can move forward in our relations with India. The participation of the Faisalabad Wolves team in the Champions League is a positive move," Sethi said on Tuesday.
He said the breakthrough came after the chief operating officer of PCB Subhan Ahmad met with BCCI officials in Chennai and discussed Indo-Pak bilateral ties.
Sethi said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had told him to take steps to improve cricket relations with India. "After the support of the PM I am keen to travel to India soon and meet the BCCI officials to try to convince them how important it is for both the countries to play bilateral series," Sethi said. The PCB chief said cricket had always played a big role in improving ties between the two countries and that is why the Prime Minister had stressed on meeting with BCCI officials.
He said he would quit if the courts continued to interfere with his job. Sethi has been stopped by the Islamabad High Court from carrying out his full duties and ordered to hold new board elections.
"I can't pick the chief selector nor any of the selectors or take any decisions for Pakistan cricket," he said. "No one is listening to us and we have a series against South Africa ahead of us," he added in reference to next month's matches in the United Arab Emirates. "We have challenged the court decision and it will be heard on the 23rd of this month. If for some reason the hearing is not held I will then go to the Prime Minister. I will give him my resignation because I can't afford to carry on like this," said Sethi. In July, the court prevented Sethi from exercising his full duties after he was appointed acting chairman by the government. The court had earlier declared as null and void the election of Zaka Ashraf as PCB chairman in May.