LAHORE (TIP): Pakistan have demanded financial compensation from both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the losses incurred following India’s refusal to play the neighbouring country, Najam Sethi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) executive committee chairman, confirmed on November 9.

“We have mentioned it clearly to BCCI and ICC in recent meeting that either India should play cricket with Pakistan or compensate us for damages,” Sethi was quoted as saying by the Dawn. “We have also demand compensation from ICC as the PCB is suffering financially because of non-fulfilment of the BCCI’s commitment to play cricket series with Pakistan,” he added.

BCCI had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the PCB in 2014 in which both involved had agreed to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. However, the political turmoil between the countries played its part in the countries not wanting to play each other. So much so, Anurag Thakur, the BCCI president, even requested the ICC not to place the two sides in the same group during global tournaments.

The India board had sought consent for a limited-overs series against Pakistan in Sri Lanka last December, however, the Indian government did not grant the same, due to which it was eventually canned.

The last time India and Pakistan played a full Test series was before the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. (PTI)