The BCB communicated this to International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on March 20 in reply to the game governing body’s request to PCB and BCB on March 16 to provide it with the tour schedule and the security plan so that it can appoint match officials, Dawn has learnt through the communications exchanged by all the three parties.
The ICC’s Cricket Operations manager in his March 16 communication wrote, “I refer to the discussion at CEC wherein you advised that a decision would be made imminently as to whether the tour will proceed or not.
“As you understand there are a number of logistical arrangements to be made and time is short, please confirm on or before midday on Tuesday (March 20) whether the tour is taking place, and if so, reconfirm the dates and venues.
“Please also provide the security plan for us to pass on to our security advisers for their consideration before we can consider making any match official appointments.”
While the PCB promptly responded to the ICC’s request with a proposed schedule, the BCB did not respond for four days and finally said it would wait for the outcome of the Executive Board meeting.
The BCB in its reply wrote, “Please refer to the CEC meeting held on March 5 and 6 in Dubai and the subsequent media release issued by the ICC on March 7, 2012 on the meeting outcomes.
“It appears from that media release that the ICC is still considering Pakistan an unsafe place for staging international matches and to appoint neutral match officials.
“As this issue will be taken up in the next ICC Executive Board meeting, scheduled in April 2012, the BCB is waiting for the outcome that stems up from the said meeting.”
The point the BCB conveniently avoided was the ICC CEC meeting which was attended by BCB acting chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury Sujan and PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad.
Both the officials were part of the CEC recommendation which was reflected in the announcement and will now be presented before the ICC Executive Board for ratification.
To ensure that the series takes place, the ICC departed from its standard playing condition of fielding neutral umpires in the series, allowing two Pakistani umpires Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf to supervise the matches.
After getting the confirmation of the series, the ICC had to appoint a match-referee, but the fresh situation indicates the series will not be possible.
Even if Bangladesh takes a positive decision at the ICC meeting on April 14, it will be difficult for Pakistan to play Bangladesh since the weather in May will be very hot and the green-shirts will also have to tour Sri Lanka in the same month.
Moreover, upon receiving this unexpected response, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, who was in Mirpur at that time for the India-Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, met with PCB and BCB officials.
“During that meeting, the ICC chief executive once again reiterated the ICC position on safety and security in a bilateral series and also reminded PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and BCB president Mustafa Kamal of the Jan 31 and Feb 1’s ICC Executive Board resolution,” sources said.
Lorgat later wrote an email to PCB and BCB in which he reiterated and clarified the ICC position.
He said, “The ICC would like to once again confirm that the decision for Bangladesh to tour Pakistan rests squarely with the Bangladesh Cricket Board as this is a bilateral series.
“We explained this to all the parties concerned in Dhaka.
“As explained, this protocol was decided at the last ICC Board meeting. For reference purposes, the ICC will like to provide an extract from the draft minutes circulated to all directors on March 15.
“ ….Mr Srinivasan stated that security was a bilateral issue between the two members concerned and it had nothing to do with the ICC. In his view, implementing the code would be an imposition on members’ autonomy.
“The Board expressly acknowledged the obligation on the host to look after ICC match officials and staff during a bilateral series and that ICC was primarily responsible for ensuring that these persons were appropriately protected. ”
Lorgat continued, “The BCB will note from these minutes. The appointment of match officials can only be made once a tour schedule is confirmed and the safety and security plan submitted to the ICC.
“We hope this once again clarifies the situation i.e. the decision to tour Pakistan is one for Bangladesh to make.”
Meanwhile, the sources also claimed that the PCB despite knowing the factual position is still indicating the BCB would send its team to Pakistan.
Failing to convince the BCB officials, the PCB may now change its relationship with the BCB and may withdraw its support to Mustafa Kamal for ICC’s presidency from 2014 to 2016.
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