KARACHI: ICC chief executive Dave Richardson has said that while the world body wants resumption of Indo-Pak bilateral ties but it cannot interfere in the matter concerning boards from both countries.
“We realise just how important it is for world cricket to have regular matches between Pakistan and India but unfortunately the ICC cannot interfere in this matter as it is a bilateral matter purely between two boards,” Richardson told the Express newspaper.
“We can’t interfere or do anything in this matter but we would like to see them playing bilateral matches again,” said ICC CEO Dave Richardson.
He pointed out that the spectator and viewer interest in Pakistan and India matches was phenomenal and it was great for cricket as a sport.
“We have seen the interest and hype their matches generate even in ICC events but after the new governance system now bilateral tours are to be decided between individual boards and the ICC is only responsible for posting match officials,” he said.
“So we can’t interfere or do anything in this matter but we would like to see them playing bilateral matches again,” he added.
Richardson also ruled out the impression that the ICC was not happy on revival of international cricket in Pakistan with the tour of the Zimbabwe side recently.
“We didn’t send match officials because we look at a situation differently from national teams but it is not as if we don’t support having international cricket in Pakistan. I thought it was a boost for Pakistan with the passion their people showed for the Zimbabwe series. International cricket needs Pakistan as a strong cricket nation and team and we are always looking at ways to support them,” he stated.
The ICC refused to send its match officials for the limited over series in Pakistan played late May but it gave international status to the T20 and ODI matches played between the two sides.
Zimbabwe became the first Test side to tour Pakistan in six years.
The ICC official said that the ICC was directly responsible for the security of the match officials and had to take a decision by itself.
Richardson also made it clear he always liked going to Pakistan but this time couldn’t accept the invitation to visit Lahore for the Zimbabwe series due to prior commitments.
“I was in the United States for business and couldn’t get out of there. But I have been to Pakistan several times after 2009,” he said.
The ICC official said that if any other board wants to send its team to Pakistan it is a matter between the two boards and they have to deal with all aspects of the tour.