ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: India are not willing to play the upcoming cricket series against Pakistan at any venue — home or neutral — sources in the Indian High Commission (IHC) told Dawn here on Wednesday.

The Indian cricketers are scheduled to tour Pakistan early next year for a much-awaited series that includes three Tests, a Twenty20 International and five one-day matches. However, the recent incidents in Mumbai that left almost 200 people dead, as well as security concerns about Pakistan have jeopardised the high-profile contest.

On Wednesday, an Indian High Commission source told Dawn: “Under the present situation, that has emerged from the ‘Mumbai mayhem’, all hopes of Indian cricket team’s visit to Pakistan have vanished.”

“The people and the government officials in India have their firm belief that playing with Pakistan at any venue is simply out of question and no possibility in this regard should at all be explored.”

“The government is not even willing to send the security experts to Pakistan to assess the security concerns or hold any talks with the PCB,” the source added.

Responding to the reports, a top PCB official in Lahore said: “We have not received any written document from the BCCI for the cancellation of the scheduled cricket series with India and if it’s cancelled, the board may run into serious financial problems as the losses will be in billions.”

Requesting anonymity, the official said the PCB would be seeking the intervention of the ICC in the matter since a possible backing out of the Indian team will be a clear violation of the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP).

“The chairman PCB, Ijaz Butt has also submitted a detailed report to the Patron-in-Chief, President Asif Ali Zardari, regarding his recent meeting with the BCCI top brass and it indicates lot of negative signs on the contest,” the official added.

He, however, confirmed that Sri Lanka is very much willing to tour Pakistan in case the Indians call off the tour.

The cash-strapped Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have, apparently, failed to convince its counterparts in India to send the Indian cricketers to Pakistan. According to reports, the BCCI is still awaiting clearance on the series from its government but the chances of a positive response appear bleak.