The Pakistan Cricket Board favours Mumbai as an alternative venue for a Test during the coming tour of India. It has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to give a counter proposal on the venues in the next 24 hours, while maintaining their reservations about playing in Ahmedabad.
After his breakfast meeting with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, PCB chief Shaharyar Khan spoke to former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and ICC president Ehsan Mani and updated them on the latest developments.
Shaharyar told reporters in a teleconference later that he has asked the Indian Board to send a counter proposal on the proposed itinerary and venues in the next 24 hours so that a decision could be taken on the tour.
He denied reports that PCB had agreed to play a one-day international instead of the proposed second Test at Ahmedabad. His comments came shortly after Singh told reporters aboard the flight from Islamabad to Lahore that Pakistan has agreed to consider playing a one-day match in Ahmedabad.
"In my meeting with Natwar Singh, we decided that the series would not be postponed and will take place as per schedule," Shaharyar said.
The PCB chief said, "It is all speculation about India wanting us to play an ODI in Ahmedabad. So far they have not got back to us on the venues after our objection. It is when they send a counter proposal that we will give it due consideration. To say anything before that would be premature.
"Our stance on not playing in Ahmedabad is based on security and reports that government has cleared Ahmedabad or we are ready to play a one-day match there are baseless but yes we have given Bombay as an option for Ahmedabad. We showed our concerns over playing in Ahmedabad purely on security grounds but the BCCI has not given any reply which we deserve," he added.
Shaharyar said Pakistan has shown flexibility and has now agreed to play in Mumbai.
"We have shown flexibility and have now agreed to play in Mumbai. We agree with this because the public wants this series to happen. But we are still waiting for a counter proposal from the Indian Board on the proposed venues."
The PCB chairman said Natwar Singh had also told him that the two Boards should decide the venues for the series by themselves.
"The message I got today was that the governments want the Boards to work out the issue of venues.
"I will meet President General Pervez Musharraf shortly and seek his guidance over the issue. Of course, I will brief him on my meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister," he said.
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