Pakistan ready for cricket with India, but not there to run behind BCCI for it: Ehsan Mani

The India vs Pakistan rivalry is considered as one of the greatest rivalries in cricket. When this two teams face each other, the emotions and pressure to win are always high due to which fans have been able to watch some enthralling matches between these two teams. However, both the teams have not played any bilateral series since 2013 due to the political tension between the two countries. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani has recently spoken about the absence of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan. 

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Ehsan Mani on PCB thoughts over holding India vs Pakistan bilateral series 

The PCB chairman, while speaking during a discussion with cricket authors Peter Oborne and Richard Heller in a podcast, said that he has taken the view and made it known to the BCCI that the PCB is ready to play bilateral cricket but they won’t run after the Indian cricket board to make things happen in the near future. He further said that Pakistan is willing to play, but It is BCCI's call when they are ready to play.

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Recently, according to a report by Cricket Pakistan, PCB chief Ehsan Mani claimed that Pakistan-India matches are the most-watched cricket matches in the world. He added that, however, apart from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events, India and Pakistan do not play against each other due to the 'policy of the Indian government'.

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Ehsan Mani on improving cricket in Pakistan

According to PTI, Ehsan Mani revealed that current Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had brought him back to 'improve' cricket in Pakistan. Mani was the ICC chairman from 2003 to 2006 following which he was absent from the scene until he was roped in to lead the PCB amid turbulent times including match-fixing scandals. In his statement, Mani had further said that the role of ICC chairman was not his 'agenda' and that he was there to 'serve' Pakistan cricket. 

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However, if reports from Pakistan's The News are to be believed, Mani is now leading the race to become the next chairman of the governing body of the game. The report also mentions that current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly is no more in the race to replace Shashank Manohar as several Test-playing nations are cautious of too much Indian influence in world cricket. And if Mani agrees to contest the election and is successful in the bid to become ICC chairman, then he will have to leave PCB permanently. 

( COVER IMAGE: PAKISTAN CRICKET / TWITTER)