Pak-India cricket series no time soon, says BCCI Secretary

The secretary Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Anurag Thakur, said on Saturday there is not much possibility of the India-Pakistan series, given the short window ahead of India’s tour of Australia, which begins on January 12.”It’s 19th already and even if a decision comes in the next week, it might not be possible to host a series in such short notice,” the BCCI secretary said at the press conference in Delhi, ESPN Cricinfo reported.Thakur, however, said it’s up to Pakistan to make the call, since they are the hosts for the series in accordance with the MoU signed between the BCCI and Pakistan Cricket Board.The BCCI secretary was speaking after announcing India’s ODI and T20 squads for the tour of Australia.”This is not a decision for us to make,” Thakur said. “It is for Pakistan to make, if the Indian government grants permission. But, given the situation today, it appears difficult.”
PCB is awaiting the Indian government’s approval of a shortened limited-over series — three one-day and two T20 internationals to be held in Sri Lanka — which it agreed with the BCCI last month.Making arrangements for the series would be “challenging” at such short notice, PCB chief had said, “but we will do it once we get clearance from the Indian government.”