Why not the UAE? Playing cricket against Pakistan in Sri Lanka is a farce

Playing Pakistan in Sri Lanka is a total travesty, if we have to play them at all. There is just no reason not to play in the UAE which is the ICC recognised ‘home’ away from home for Pakistan.

Not only does the Emirates have three top class stadiums, a balanced expat community from both sides of the border and the highest security rating, it has a history of successfully hosting the IPL.

It’s also great fun to be in the Emirates for the players, the officials, the fans and the media…the players especially are lionised to an almost absurd extent. Indians and Pakistanis scramble to be integral to the cricket fever, and not to mention the extravagant hospitality! If there’s NRI love for anyone, it’s the cricketers.

With the Indo-UAE relations at an all time high after Prime Minister Modi’s UAE visit, to go and exercise a third option holds no logic.

It is bad enough that the BCCI has been playing cat and mouse with the PCB and enjoying it too because of the financial clout it exercises, but there has to be a limit. Cancel the MOU for six bi-laterals between now and 2022 if you must, but do not make a mockery of the sport.

Pakistan won’t come to India and India will not go to Pakistan. Fine. We understand the security issues. But the fact that a region that offers the highest safety factor, is currently hosting England, and is the official playing ground of one of the teams is available, makes choosing Sri Lanka as a venue laughable. At this time when things are not at their best, it is very important to ensure you play at the place with minimum risk.

Also why would the Sri Lankans want to host two countries that could cause them a security headache and put much pressure on the nation? Is the money the Sri Lankan board being offered worth the hassle?

It would be hilarious if the Lankans turned around and said, no way, Jose, we don’t want you.

The very idea of tuning in to watch this high octane competition in Galle or Colombo makes it a joke on the ICC who seem to have no say in the hijacking of their fixtures.

Okay, India have not had the best of times against Pakistan in Sharjah… so make good on the field now. Every time I hear some great expert pontificate about betting at the venue and how it was arranged for Pakistan to have an edge — it annoys me to no end. In my experience, it is hard to beat Indian cricket officials for sheer arrogance and their silly little rosettes on their pockets.

So, let’s just cut to the chase. Playing in Sri Lanka should not even be considered and it seems there is a certain despair in the PCB to fill its coffers. They capitulated so easily.

Last week the two heads of the Boards spent a whole day in the UAE but Shashank Manohar and Shaharyar Khan kept avoiding each other. With that attitude and only three weeks to go for the 15 December deadline for the tour to begin and nothing yet final, logistically, they are leaving things a bit too late. If I were an Indian cricketer, I would not want to travel with such half-baked arrangements

In fact, with Pakistan playing England at present in the UAE, the machinery is already in place for an India-Pakistan series.

Either be sensible or don’t play at all.