PCB conveys reservation over Dalai Lama

The spiritual leader was to inaugurate Pak's tour opener against BCCI XI at Dharamshala.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has expressed its reservation over Dalai Lama inaugurating the team's tour opener against the Board President XI at Dharamshala.

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"The PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan spoke to the Indian board officials on Saturday insisting that Pakistan should not be put in an embarrassing position as it enjoyed very good relations with China," a PCB source was quoted as saying in a local daily on Sunday.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, which is the host for the three-day tour opener, had announced a couple a days ago that Dalai Lama would inaugurate the March 3-5 match.

"BCCI conveyed to Shaharyar that it was not their decision to invite the Dalai Lama to inaugurate the match and that this was done by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association," the source said.

Shaharyar also asked the BCCI to be very selective while confirming future engagements of the Pakistan team on the tour, the paper said.