Najam Sethi, head of Pakistan Cricket Board has said that there was no possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series being held in 2017.

“I don’t think it will happen because of the current scenario which will take time to change. But I also don’t think India will avoid playing us in the Champions Trophy next year in England,” Sethi was quoted as saying by PTI.

Pakistan’s Sports Ministry too is likely to issue a directive to ban all sporting ties with India. Sethi said if the government issued such directives, the PCB will follow them.

“But we will only agree to not playing on Indian soil. But if for example, India agrees to matches with us on a neutral venue of our choice, which we host, then we will play them,” he said.

The two teams have not played in a bilateral series since 2012.