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Venue row: Pak chooses Chennai
With Pakistan averse to playing in Ahmedabad, the Indo-Pak Test encounter could be shifted to Chennai.
With Pakistan averse to playing in Ahmedabad, BCCI and the Centre were on Sunday grappling with other options including shifting the Test to Chennai as an amicable solution to the problem.
BCCI was engaged in discussions with the Union Home ministry after Pakistan Cricket Board expressed its "inability" to play in Ahmedabad and is expected to take a decision soon, according to board president Ranbir Singh Mahendra.
"All the issues would be worked out by the BCCI in consultation with the Union Home Ministry," Mahendra said.
The Indian Government and the cricket board are said to be against making it a prestige issue and one of the options included requesting Pakistan to review their stand.
On the basis of report given by the security assessment team that recently visited India, PCB has written to BCCI expressing its inability to play in Ahmedabad because of apprehensions over law and order situation in Gujarat, which witnessed communal riots in 2002.
The PCB has apparently expressed its preference to play in Chennai, the venue where the team got a standing ovation after defeating India during their last tour in 1999.
BCCI joint secretary Goutam Dasgupta said in Kolkata that the board would go by the Government's advice on this "sensitive" issue although it was the prerogative of the home board to finalise venues for matches.
"We'll go as per the Government's advice and if it is required then Pakistan may be requested to review their stand on the issue," Dasgupta said.
He said a decision on the issue would be taken by the BCCI working committee meeting on February 16 in New Delhi where the itinerary of Pakistan's tour would be finalised.
