PCB blames BCCI for twisting facts over Bangladesh T20Is

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is giving false and misleading impression about Pakistan players being ignored for the T20 games between the Asia XI and World XI, being organized by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to celebrate the birth centenary of 'Bongobondhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh.

The two matches, which are said to be given official status by the International Cricket Council (ICC), are scheduled for March 16 and 20 in Dhaka under the umbrella of BCB and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

According to a report in the Dawn, the PCB has said the matter was discussed at an ACC meeting where the Pakistan board had informed their Bangladesh counterpart that they were willing to allow its players as long as the dates were altered to avoid a clash with the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020.

"The T20Is between World XI and Asia XI were scheduled from March 16-20, while the HBL PSL 2020 is likely to end on March 22. Since the dates of both the series couldn't be changed, we offered our regrets to the BCB, both verbally and in writing, which they understood and accepted," a PCB spokesperson said.

"It is unfortunate that the facts were twisted to mislead Pakistan cricket fans and followers," he added.

On Thursday, BCCI Joint Secretary Jayesh George told IANS that such a scenario where both India and Pakistan players play in the Asia XI wouldn't arise because the message is that there will be no Pakistan players invited. _Agencies

Dhaka/AKA