The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Dalmiya rules out one-day series against Pakistan this year

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Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Dalmiya rules out one-day series against Pakistan this year

DUBAI, JUNE 9. The BCCI president, Jagmohan Dalmiya today ruled out the possibility of a one-day series against Pakistan in India or Sharjah this year, saying there was no time to squeeze in any new fixtures.

"We are hard pressed to sort out our own commitments this year," Dalmiya said on his arrival here to take part in an ICC meeting, clearly indicating that any series with Pakistan was out of the question.

The Pakistani daily The News had reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was keen on its senior team touring India for a one-day series before embarking on a tour of Australia in December. Alternately, the PCB would like a limited overs series with India in Sharjah, the paper said on Wednesday.

It quoted sources in the PCB as saying that chairman, Shaharyar Khan, and chief executive, Rameez Raja, were keen on a commitment for the senior team in November.

"The idea is to either convince the Indian cricket board to enable Pakistan's participation in a one-day series in India or to ask the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) to organise a tournament," The News quoted the source as saying.

Mr. Dalmiya told PTI that the only way India could accommodate South Africa's tour of India this year was by splitting the Test series and one-dayers.

"We have only the month of November available later this year and only a Test series could be squeezed in. The one-dayers could be played later," Mr. Dalmiya said.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) has expressed unhappiness over the itinerary submitted by India, saying the Indians were indifferent towards the tour.

Mr. Dalmiya said India was due to host world champion Australia for four Tests between October 1 and November 7, while South Africa hosts England from December 5. "So only about a month was available to squeeze in South Africa's tour of India in November, not enough time to play the scheduled three Tests and seven one-dayers." He said discussions were still on and hoped a solution would be found.

The UCB president, Ray Mali, is also in Dubai for the ICC meeting which will discuss the Zimbabwe issue arising from the players' strike. — PTI

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