Shiv Sena activists protesting at the BCCI office in Mumbai.
A proposed cricket series between India and Pakistan in December will not take place, sources in the Indian cricket board have said. The decision comes a day after activists of the Shiv Sena tried to force cancellation of talks between Board chief Shashank Manohar and his Pakistani counterpart Shahryar Khan in Mumbai.
Here are the latest developments:
"Not optimistic about India-Pakistan series taking place," Mr Khan, the president of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said today. But he added that Pakistan will "play in the World T20 Championship" to be held in India in March next year, saying "there is no question of boycott".
On Monday, Shiv Sena activists barged into the BCCI office in Mumbai and threatened to prevent Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar from officiating in the fifth One-Day International (ODI) match between India and South Africa on Sunday. Mr Dar was later withdrawn from officiating in the remaining two matches of the ongoing series.
Soon after, former Pakistani cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar decided to not commentate in the fifth one-day match, which will take place in Mumbai. They have decided to return to Pakistan on Friday, a day after commentating in the fourth ODI in Chennai.
Hours earlier, Sena activists broke into the BCCI office at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai just before the chiefs of the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards were to discuss the planned bilateral series. Waving placards of "Shahryar Khan, Go Back", the activists warned BCCI chief Shashank Manohar against meeting Shahryar Khan. At least 10 protesters were arrested, but were granted bail within hours.
Sources said Mr Manohar later drove to the Trident hotel, where Shahryar Khan is staying, and spoke to him. But there will be no official meeting between the two cricket board chiefs until after October 25, when the last ODI is played, say sources.
The Indian and Pakistani cricket boards had signed a pact for six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023.
The Shiv Sena, which rules Maharashtra in alliance with the BJP, says it will not allow any engagement with Pakistan as long as the country is involved in acts of terror.
The party's protests led to legendary Pakistani artiste Ghulam Ali's concert being cancelled two weeks ago. Last week, Sena activists threw black paint on columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni for organising the launch of former Pakistan minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book.
The BJP has condemned the protests by the Sena. "All right-thinking sections will have to distance themselves from these kind of methodologies," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said, referring to the incidents.
The Sena has, in the past, dug up pitches at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in New Delhi and the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai to prevent matches between India and Pakistan.
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