India says 'No' to bilateral cricket with Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Indian government, yet again, has played down the possibility of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket series in near future.

Minister of Sports Vijay Goel said on Monday that as long as terrorism exists in Pakistan, a cricket series between the two countries is not possible.

"BCCI should speak to the government before giving any proposal to Pakistan. I have made it clear that bilateral cricket with Pakistan is not possible till the time there is cross-border terror. We have, however, no say on multilateral events (ICC tournaments)," he told the media.

The PCB has already sent a legal notice to BCCI claiming damages worth USD 60 million (Rs 387 crore approx) for not honouring the MoU designed to conduct five bilateral series between India and Pakistan between 2015 and 2023.

Top officials from the BCCI and PCB are scheduled to meet in order to discuss the MoU signed between the two countries.

India have not played any bilateral cricket with Pakistan since 2007, although in the winter of 2012-13, Pakistan made a short goodwill tour to India that included three One Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals.