Pakistan refuse to sign FTP

Sources in the PCB confirmed that officials had voiced strong objections at the International Cricket Council meetings held last week in London when they learnt that the Indian board had not scheduled a single bilateral series with Pakistan in their proposed draft of the new FTP.

“The Indian officials came up with the justification that they couldn’t schedule any bilateral series with Pakistan because of the existing relations between the two countries,” one source said. “The Indian representative also made it clear that Pakistan should not raise a hue and cry over the proposed FTP since whenever relations between Pakistan and India improved the Indian board would find windows for bilateral series,” he said.

The source said Pakistan had rejected BCCI’s viewpoint and said since the FTP was being prepared well in advance how could the Indian board decide prematurely not to schedule any bilateral series with its neighbour. The Pakistani representatives had made it clear at the meeting that they would not sign the FTP if the BCCI did not revise the draft.

The ICC has asked all member countries to submit draft proposals for the next FTP which involves all Test playing nations. Sources said India had also ignored Bangladesh in preparing the draft FTP and is pushing for a two-tier Test championship system.

He also said that PCB was already upset with BCCI’s attitude over the 2011 World Cup hosting right issue.