Neutral venue not an option for Pak series right now: Shukla

Kanpur, Nov 19 (PTI) The Board of Control for Cricket in
India is not considering the option of shifting next year's
cricket series in Pakistan to a neutral venue as yet,
according to a top official, who said the Board would first
await the government's decision on the security situation in
the strife-torn country.

BCCI Finance Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla told
reporters here that from the Board's point of view, the tour
was never in doubt.

Asked if BCCI was exploring the option of playing in
neutral venues, an idea mooted by PCB in case India refuses to
tour Pakistan, Shukla said, "We are not thinking about neutral
venues. For us the tour is on and we are waiting for the
government clearance."

"For us, the tour is very much on and all we are waiting
for is a go-ahead from the Centre," Shukla said at the Green
Park Stadium.

Pakistan's volatile scenario has seen a number of
visiting teams cancelling their tour of the strife-torn
country and this year's Champions Trophy was also postponed
after some of the teams were reluctant to send their teams.

A desperate Pakistan Cricket Board is now pinning hopes
on India to prove that the country remains safe for tour. But
PCB is already feeling the jitters after an Indian junior
hockey team was not granted permission to tour Pakistan for
safety reasons.

Talking about tomorrow's match, Shukla said Match Referee
Roshan Mahanama had a meeting with the organisers in which he
pointed out instances like people walking in front of
sightscreen resulting in delays.

"A number of issues were discussed in the meeting,
including how to stop movement in front of the sightscreen. We
have decided that there should not be any such movement in
front of it. It's already winter, such delays would
complicated things and we don't want matches to be
decided by Duckworth-Lewis method.

"So, we have decided to deploy special cops manning the
area and then 10 youngsters would also be there to ensure no
one crosses the sightscreen when the match is in progress,"
Shukla said.
Shukla, meanwhile, took the occasion to welcome 'Barmy
Army', England's band of supporters for the second Test in
Mumbai after they reportedly decided against touring
Ahmedabad, venue of the first Test, for the ban on alcohol in
Gujarat.

"I wholeheartedly welcome them in Mumbai. Gujarat is the
state of Mahatma Gandhi and if there is a certain law that
prevents liquor there, I don't think we need to make change to
that. They are most welcome in Mumbai," he said.