HOPES that cricketing ties between Pakistan and India would be strengthened by the latter team`s visit across the border for the Champions Trophy next year have dimmed. If anything the fracture has worsened. There was some optimism towards the end of the week that a resolution would be reached at the International Cricket Council`s board meeting on Saturday. But a breakthrough remains elusive as the meeting was once again postponed, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India yet to respond conclusively to an offer by the Pakistan Cricket Board to resolve the issue. To ensure that the Champions Trophy goes ahead, the PCB had proposed that matches involving the two bitter rivals in future ICC tournaments in either country be played at a neutral venue after India refused to send its team for the Feb 19 to March 9 competition to Pakistan, which is holding its first major tournament since 1996 when it co-hosted the World Cup.

India had no objections to the security plan for the tournament that was presented by the PCB in October and its refusal comes despite Pakistan having sent its team to India for the World Cup last year. Pakistan did so despite India`s declining to cross the border for the Asia Cup prior to the World Cup and had hoped its gesture would be reciprocated for the Champions Trophy. But the BCCI, which by and large controls the ICC, stuck to its rigid stance. This time, and rightly so, the PCB argued that the case be treated on the basis of equality: the rule-bending for India should also be allowed for Pakistan. For the last several years, Pakistan has proved it is safe for international cricket but India balked when the PCB spoke about equality, claiming that while India itself was safe Pakistan was not an age-old argument that is based on pure jingoism. Credit must go to the PCB for holding its ground although the impasse shows that a stronger ICC is the need of the hour. Instead of asking the PCB and BCCI to reach a consensus, it should have firmly asked India to play or to opt out. India`s financial muscle does not allow it do that even if the outgoing ICC chairman Greg Barclay hoped his successor Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary, does not keep the sport `under the yoke of India`. That is the sad reality though.