Jagmohan Dalmiya's death hits Pakistan's cricket ties with India

Islamabad, September 22 - Pakistan's cricketing ties with India have hit "another obstacle" due to the death of Indian cricket board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, said a leading Pakistani daily which described him as a visionary.

Board of Control for Cricket in India chief Jagmohan Dalmiya died on Sunday in India's Kolkata city.

An editorial "Cricket with India" in the Dawn on Tuesday said that the country's cricketing ties with India have hit another obstacle with the death of Dalmiya.

"A visionary, Dalmiya, along with Pakistan’s Arif Abbasi, was the brain behind bringing the World Cup to the subcontinent in 1987. His induction at the helm of the BCCI earlier this year in place of the controversial N. Srinivasan was seen as a positive development by Pakistan that has been anxiously waiting for its arch-rivals to honour their long-standing commitment of playing a series either in Pakistan, or at a neutral venue," said the daily.

"The BCCI, though expressing its willingness to send the Indian cricket team to the UAE for a full series in December this year, has been clearly undermined by the strong anti-Pakistan stance of the Narendra Modi government. Hence the uncertainty over the series," it added.

It went on to say that Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shaharyar Khan "finally lost patience last week to state that Pakistan did not need to beg India for a cricket series". 

The editorial called it lamentable that "India continues to mix politics with sports, treating the sincere efforts of Pakistan’s cricket administrators and ex-players for revival of the game with utter disdain". 

"The constant snubbing of Pakistan players in the IPL, and more recently in the Indian Hockey League, is a testament to the Indian authorities’ closed-minded attitude. 

"What is even more regrettable is the toothless approach of the International Cricket Council in the matter. The world cricket governing body has been led by India’s desires all this while, and has failed to impose any penalty or sanction on the BCCI for defaulting on its commitments with Pakistan during the past four years," it added.

(IANS)