ECB supports resumption of Indo-Pak bilateral ties

Karachi: PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said that former England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief Giles Clarke was in favour of resumption of bilateral ties between India and Pakistan in December.

"Former ECB chairman Giles Clarke is also making an effort and he is also of the opinion that the series should be held for the interest of cricket," Khan told media on the sidelines of fourth day-night international between Pakistan and England in Dubai.

"Clarke believes that a Pakistan-India series is vital for the game and he is also talking to the BCCI chief and I have told him that he has no need to convince us, convince the BCCI.

"We are trying to make some progress with India and we can only unveil our plan B when it is confirmed the series will not be held with India," Khan said.

Clarke is currently president of ECB.

Clarke was due to reach Dubai on the invitation of PCB to watch the Pakistan versus England one-day match and then fly to Lahore for a visit with a security expert but has apparently cancelled his visit due to personal reasons.

The chairmen of PCB and BCCI - Shaharyar Khan and Shashank Manohar - are scheduled to meet in Dubai over the weekend.

Khan said earlier that the BCCI last week invited Pakistan to play the matches on their grounds but the Pakistan Cricket Board insisted the series should be held in UAE, under the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year.

Khan told reporters in Dubai today that he was trying to save the series with India.

"The matter is now in the hands of our Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and he will decide on the series but we are trying to convince India to play in UAE and drop their proposal of shifting the series to India," Khan said.