da dobrowin： The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reacted angrily over Indiangovernment’s decision to disallow its team to play in the Asian TestChampionship starting Aug 29
22-Aug-2001The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reacted angrily over Indiangovernment’s decision to disallow its team to play in the Asian TestChampionship starting Aug 29.”The entire schedule was worked out after they confirmed theirparticipation in the tournament. They submitted government clearanceand that’s the biggest assurance any board can give,” the secretary ofthe ACC Zakir Husain Syed said from Islamabad.The official said the ACC created best possible conditions for theIndia to participate in the tournament. He added that India’swithdrawal was a big setback but insisted that the it would not takethe gloss off the competition.”The championship will go on, there is no doubt about that. But yes,the decision will definitely result in a financial loss to the eventmanagers,” he said.India’s refusal to cross borders for a scheduled tour to Pakistanearlier this year, resulted in an over $15million loss to the PakistanCricket Board (PCB).Zakir clarified that he had heard the news on television but was yetto receive any confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket inIndia (BCCI).The ACC official demanded New Delhi to spell out its sports policy.”There has to be a rationale. I mean, Indian snooker players arecoming to Pakistan, Pakistan volleyball team is playing in India, andabove all, a 380-athlete Indian contingent will be appearing inOctober’s SAF Games. So why single out cricket?” he questioned.When pressed if the decision would mean the end of ACC as aninstitution, Zakir said: “The ACC’s development programme willcontinue.”Asked if the ACC would press the International Cricket Council (ICC)to impose sanctions on India, Zakir reiterated that after the game’sgoverning body remained a silent spectator when India refused to playin Pakistan earlier this year, there was hardly anything it can donow. “But yes, the ICC’s 10-year plan has definitely been hit for asix. The ICC has the ground reality and is in the thick ofinformation,” he said.