05/02/01: A cricket series in Sharjah to raise funds for Indian earthquake victims was officially cancelled today, raising fears that arch-rivals India and Pakistan would be unlikely to play each other in the near future.
The tri-series between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh was scheduled to be held in the Gulf emirate from Thursday to raise funds following the earthquake in India’s Gujarat state, which killed an estimated 30,000 people, but was called off after India refused to play against Pakistan.
"It's off because the Indian board could not confirm their participation," said a spokesman for the Asian Cricket Foundation, the organisers of the series.
India's sports minister Uma Bharti defended the India’s nonparticipation, however, saying she stood by the government's previous stance of not having cricket ties with Pakistan, whom India accuses of fomenting violence in the troubled state of Kashmir.
The two countries last played each other during the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in May last year.
It was the fourth successive time India had cancelled a cricket series against Pakistan - much to the disappointment of officials across the border.
"India is isolating itself from international cricket," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Tauquir Zia said, adding he intended to complain to the International Cricket Council.
Unless the Indian government changes its policy, observers fear that another Sharjah tri-series between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in April will also be affected. AFP