Pakistan, India unlikely to play off-shore Test at MCG

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are unlikely to be lured by the Melbourne Cricket Club’s offer to play an off-shore Test at the MCG.

The club has informally extended the proposal following the success of Pakistan-India T20 World Cup match in October.

“This is no new offer as previously Cricket Australia (CA) has extended such an offer during the England-Pakistan T20 series held prior to the T20 World Cup. At that time the BCCI and the PCB had refused to even consider such an offer,” a PCB official, when contacted, said.

He added that the official version in this regard has yet to come but the PCB always believed Test series were all about playing home and away.

“The best and practical option for Pakistan and India is to play on home and away basis. We can travel to India to play in the Test series and would like to host India at Pakistani grounds. Such an offer cannot be taken seriously. The BCCI has already rejected the offer. India never play abroad nor do they allow their cricketers to compete in any of the franchise cricket. So, such an offer holds no serious study,” he said.

MCC chief executive Stuart Fox, while doing commentary during Australia and South Africa’s Test, said that an inquiry was held in this regard.

Fox was excited after Melbourne hosted Pakistan and India during the T20 World Cup match, which was attended by more than 90,000 spectators.

Fox said: “Hopefully, Cricket Australia will keep taking it up with the ICC and keep pushing for it.”

“When you see some of the stadiums across the world unoccupied, I think it would be much better to have a full house and celebrating the game with full houses.”

But the PCB looks more interested in hosting such a high-profile series for the benefits of their fans.

“Pakistan and even India fans are anxiously waiting for the start of such a series. We value our fans and hence playing at home and away basis is the best option. Though Pakistan played such a series against Australia in England and at UAE-Sri Lanka venues, the circumstances were completely different then. Now international cricket is back in Pakistan and there are no plans to take it offshore.”