BCCI dismisses PCB's claim of not honouring 'contract' to play Indo-Pak series

"It was a statement of intent. I don't blame them (PCB) for sticking to the letter. But it is not a contract," BCCI's Acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary said on the sidelines of the five-day International Cricket Council (ICC) meet here.

Earlier in a letter, dated April 9, 2014, the then secretary Sanjay Patel wrote to PCB chief Najam Sethi, saying: "Further to our meetings and discussions over the past few weeks regarding the bilateral tours between India and Pakistan, the BCCI and PCB hereby agree that the senior men's cricket teams of India and Pakistan will play each other as per the schedule in the formats set out below.

"BCCI and PCB agree that the rights for the tour will be assigned to a fit and proper person and will be as detailed in the Master FTP agreement. The BCCI and PCB will enter into a long form FTP Agreement in respect of the above Future Tours.

It said that the BCCI and PCB acknowledge that the letter has arisen in the context of the resolutions which have been tabled at the ICC Executive Board meeting on February 8, 2014.

"It is related to a new financial model and governance structure for the ICC including the third in a series of six resolutions relating to all Full members entering into a series of agreements with one another providing for agreed FTP content between 2015-2023. "And as such if those resolutions are not passed at the ICC Annual Conference in June, 2014 by directors nominated by Full Members of the ICC at that meeting and the representatives of Associate Members and the 4 ICC Zonal representatives, then this letter shall be of no effect.

"Please counter-sign this letter where indicated below to confirm your agreement to and acceptance of the terms of this letter."

Earlier, PCB chief Sethi had slammed the BCCI for not incorporating the "permission from central government" clause in the alleged contract to play bilateral series.