October 03 Thursday 2002
No further discussions with India over cricket ties: Tauqir

COLOMBO: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Lt General Tauqir Zia has put the ball in India's court once again on resumption of cricketing ties. Speaking to rediff.com, Tauqir Zia said India would first have to come to Pakistan in 2003 before his team could tour India. 

Earlier, Zia had expressed a desire to send his team to India following the BCCI's reluctance to tour Pakistan. "No more," he declared when reminded about his statement. "I have made it very clear that I will not talk to India at all. I have done enough in the past two-and-a-half years. I have supported the Indian team, Sunil Gavaskar and Zee TV a lot. I don't think I will support them in that way anymore."

According to the ICC ten-year schedule, India and Pakistan play each other thrice in the next six years. 

"I am answerable to my people back home. If India does not want to play cricket I don't want to play with them too. They have to decide what they want to do. If India does not come to Pakistan in 2003 then I will not come to India in 2004," he said, adding 'the ball is now in India's court.' 

He touched upon various subjects including the match-fixing episode. Giving his players a clean chit he said till there was enough proof he would not pull up any player on mere suspicion. 

PCB Chairman also explained the reasons behind the sacking of coach Mudassar Nazar and manager Yawar Saeed. He said since Pakistan had lost four-five tournaments he wanted to ascertain the reasons for the losses.

Some of the reasons, Lt. General Tauqir Zia pointed out, were lack of fitness of some senior players, differences between the coach and players, and inability of the coach and manager to resolve problems of the players.