Karachi: In a stunning development, the two-match football series between Pakistan and India under-23 sides in England next month has been called off by the UK-based commercial partners.
Though the official reason given by event management company TouchSky Sports in an email sent to the AIFF and their Pakistani counterparts for the sudden call-off is that the families of three young Pakistani boys killed during the Birmingham riots and in whose memory the first match was to be dedicated had requested the postponement, the real reasons are more likely due to the organisers’ failure to get adequate sponsorship support.
“Although there are some talks that the families of the victims of riots in Birmingham few days ago, to whom the first game was dedicated, did not want any match before their Chehlum (40-day period of mourning) but I don’t think that it could be the reason,” Pakistan Football Federation marketing director Naved Haider Khan, told Pakistan’s The News late Thursday. “I suspect that there are some commercial reasons behind the cancellation,” he said.
“It is a huge disappointment as everything was final and the (Pakistan) team was ready to leave for England on Saturday,” said Naved, who had played a vital role in organizing the series through TouchSky Sports.
The Indian side were also to leave for England on Saturday. The team has been training in New Delhi for the last one week.
India’s Under-23 team was to face the Pakistan side in their first match at Pride Park in Derby on 3 September, followed by a second and final encounter on 9 September in Glasgow. It needs noting here that India were also scheduled to play an England U-23 C side on 6 September at Victoria Road, Degenham, East London. Though there is no official word on the status of that match, it is understood that it too has been cancelled.
