Pakistan tour not in jeopardy, says India’s cricket chief
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

NEW DELHI (India): Pakistan’s cricket tour of India will go ahead as scheduled next month, Indian cricket chief Ranbir Singh Mahendra said on Wednesday, ending speculation the high-profile tour could be cancelled due to a TV rights row.

Media reports said Pakistan’s first Test tour of India in six years was in jeopardy due to a long-running legal battle over the awarding of television rights for cricket matches played in the country.

But Mahendra, who took over as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from Jagmohan Dalmiya last September, said there was no way the tour will be cancelled or even postponed.

“The tour will go ahead as scheduled,” Mahendra told AFP.

“Yes, there has been a delay on TV rights but that is because the matter is in court. We are confident something will be worked out. As soon as we hear from the courts, we will work on a war footing.”

Pakistan is due to arrive here on Monday to play three Tests and five one-day internationals on their first full tour of India since 1999.

The first Test is scheduled to begin in the northern town of Mohali on March 8.

The Madras High Court is currently hearing arguments in a writ petition filed by Zee Telefilms, India’s largest listed media company, after it was denied the TV rights by the BCCI last September.

The BCCI backed out of a four-year, 308-million dollar deal with Zee after it was challenged in court by rival ESPN-Star Sports, jointly owned by Disney and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.

The Madras High Court has advised the BCCI not to finalise any deal for the Pakistan series until it has ruled on the case.

The dispute had also put in doubt two home series against Australia and South Africa earlier in the season, but the Supreme Court allowed the board to sell the series separately to public broadcaster Doordarshan.

Zee, meanwhile, offered a olive branch to the BCCI on Wednesday, saying it was willing to telecast the Pakistan series at short notice.

“Zee would do this entirely at its risks and costs and without any equity in its favour,” the channel wrote in a letter to Mahendra.

“This shall also be without prejudice to the respective contentions of the parties before the Madras Court.”

ESPN-Star Sports and Doordarshan have also approached the BCCI to find a solution to the crisis after the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday the series was unlikely to be played if the TV issue was not solved.

“I have received the letter from Zee, but we can’t do anything till the court decides on the case,” said Mahendra.

The Madras High Court is expected to deliver a judgement this week.

Complete Itinerary of the tour

Feb 28: Arrival of Pakistan team March 3-5: Board President's XI vs Pakistan at Dharamshala March 8-12: 1st Test at Mohali March 16-20: 2nd Test at Kolkata March 24-28: 3rd Test at Bangalore March 30: One-day warm up tie at Hyderabad April 2: 1st ODI at Kochi April 5: 2nd ODI at Vishakhapatnam April 9: 3rd ODI at Jamshedpur April 12: 4th ODI at Ahmedabad April 15: 5th ODI at Kanpur April 17: 6th ODI at Delhi April 18: Departure of Pakistan team.●