BCCI virtually rules out Pakistan series

New Delhi, Dec 20- Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur on Saturday virtually ruled out the possibility of a bilateral series with Pakistan, asserting that it will be almost impossible for that country's cricket board to organise the event at short notice.

The two nations were due to play a limited overs series in Sri Lanka this month. But with the Indian government yet to give the green light for the series, the BCCI has been unable to reply to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) written query on the isue.

With India due to visit Australia next month, the time window for the India-Pakistan series is fast closing down.

"It is not possible to arrange a series in such a short time. Even if we get a go ahead from the government next week, it will be virtually impossible to arrange a series in such a short time. At the same time it will have to be arranged by PCB," Thakur told reporters here on Saturday. 

The tentative dates for the series comprising three One Day Internationals (ODI) and two T20 Internationals (T20Is) are December 15-January 4 or December 19-January 4. 

But with Pakistan also scheduled to tour New Zealand next month, the PCB may find it difficult to organise the series in time even if the Indian government gives its approval.

Agency