Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) managing director Wasim Khan feels India will not play Pakistan anytime soon and he wants his national board to create a situation where Men in Blue request them to play bilateral series.
“It’s a massive challenge and I don’t think we’re going to see any solutions anytime soon. I think elections are coming up in India, so nothing is going to happen in the near future. But, we are trying and [PCB chairman] Ehsan Mani is trying hard to get them to the table and get things moving,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Wasim, as saying.
“We keep on asking them to play us but let’s create a situation where they ask us to play. I think we need to do that. It’s sad that we are not playing against them but life continues. We need to move forward and carry on. We can’t wait forever to play India. Our focus is to develop Pakistan cricket and get our team and players a lot of success at the international level,” he added.
He said there is no point in contacting India on the matter till the general elections. Ehsan Mani praised the BCCI and stated that the two member boards have good relations but they won’t be asking BCCI to play cricket.
He added that if Pakistan is able to land itself among the top three teams in the world then India would come of its own to play with them.
“Until it’s not done (elections in India), there is no point in engaging them at this stage because we have to start over with new people in the BCCI. But our relations with the Indian board are very good and we have mutual respect but we won’t be imploring them to play us. If we will take Pakistan cricket to a level where we are among the top three teams in the world, they will come on their own to play with us,” Mani said.
“I get a lot of messages from Indian journalists and public about their wish to play against Pakistan. Unfortunately, politics sneaks in which I don’t believe sports should ever be mixed up with. But it happens in our environment, especially in India it happens a lot. But I understand when they are done with elections their attitude will get right too,” he added.