The Hindu : Sport : No telecast, no India-Pakistan series: ICC chief

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Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

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No telecast, no India-Pakistan series: ICC chief

KOLKATA, FEB. 22. Adding fuel to the controversy over telecasting the forthcoming India-Pakistan series, the International Cricket Council Chief, Ehsan Mani, on Tuesday said that without live telecast the matches would not be allowed.

``This is a worrying situation for us and we are closely monitoring the situation,'' he told PTI over phone from his London office.

Emphasising the importance of telecast, he said as per ICC guidelines every host country has to make necessary arrangements with a prescribed number of cameras on the field to provide live feeds to the third umpire for making crucial decisions.

``These live feeds are very crucial as, you know, now-a-days a number of decisions are referred to the third umpire,'' Mani said.

To a query as to what would be the ICC's stand if the telecast issue was not settled by the time Pakistan lands here and live telecast of the series was not arranged, he said, ``we cannot sanction the matches to be held.''

He said apart from the requirements of the third umpire, there are millions of cricket lovers not only in India and Pakistan but across the world, who like to watch these two teams play, and without telecast they will be deprived.

``It will be a disservice to the game of cricket if this India-Pakistan series was not telecast live across the world,'' Mani said.

``I am surprised that why every time this matter is taken to Court at the last moment as earlier also it had happened,'' Mani said referring to a similar row during the South Africa and Australia series here in October and November.

`Tour may be called off'

Meanwhile, the BCCI President, Ranbir Singh Mahendra, on Tuesday said the series against Pakistan may be ``called off'' if the telecast rights issue is not resolved before the start of the tour early next week.

``If the telecast rights (issue) is not settled, there is a possibility the tour may be called off,'' he said and added, ``since the TV telecast rights issue is before a Court the BCCI on its own cannot do anything in the matter.''

Asked if he was attempting to put pressure on Courts, Mahendra shot back, ``how can we pressurise Courts? We are trying our best to see that the issue is resolved, we are trying to get the judgment as the matter is before the Court.''

But as soon as the issue is resolved by the Court, the Board would make arrangements for telecast of the matches within 3-4 days, he said. — PTI

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