KARACHI, February 7: Pakistan Cricket Board officials have said that the unscheduled rest day on Thursday in the three-day˙cricket match between India A and Pakistan A was only to ``avoid any untoward incidents on that day and that there was no political or ulterior motive to it.''Reacting to the Indian charge that Pakistan was politicising sport in its directive to the team not to take any further part in the tour game, PCB secretary Waqar Ahmed said the unscheduled rest day was given as ``political parties and Kashmiri groups had threatened to disrupt the match on February 5.''
``We had no political and ulterior motives and we have invited them to play cricket.''
The decision was taken after consultation with the Indian team management, he said.
Ahmed said, ``PCB tried to contact the Indian board officials (on) Friday but we have not received any reply.''
``We called off the match after India A refused to play in the morning (on Friday),'' a spokesman for Pakistan Cricket Board said.
Meanwhile,Pakistan cricket legend Hanif Mohammed termed the incident as ``bad'' for cricket.
``The hosts should have kept the date in mind at the time of making the itinerary of the tour,'' he added.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
