Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari told ‘The News’ on Sunday that there appeared no possibility of a bilateral series taking place soon.

“The thing is that we can’t line up anything with India unless there is a go-ahead from the two governments,” Bari said.

“For the time being I am not too hopeful of getting that,” he said.

Bari’s statement comes as a dampener for cricket fans since PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has sounded out optimistic notes on the possibility of reviving Indo-Pak bilateral ties at neutral venues.

During his visit to India, Butt had also spoken to BCCI officials on this possibility and talked about a time frame when the Indian team would be free from international commitments.

But Bari said although the relations between the two boards were fine, they both can’t move forward without getting clearance from their respective governments.

“There are no problems between the boards and once we get a go ahead we can quickly work on a bilateral series anywhere,” Bari said.

Due to the strained relations, India had also avoided scheduling bilateral series against Pakistan in the new Future Tours Program but after protests from PCB, they have now chalked out slots in the FTP starting 2012.

“Not playing India is a big financial setback for us because they are the most marketable team. We have already lost millions since India cancelled their Test tour to Pakistan last year,” he said.

In the new central contracts awarded to the players, the Board has increased the match fees of all the three categories for the 20-over format.

“The Board has not increased the match fees for Test or one-day internationals that remain the same as last year,” one source in the PCB said.

The match fees for T20 matches has been increased for ‘A’ category players from Rs 150,000 to Rs 250,000, for ‘B’ category players from Rs 100,000 to Rs 200,000 and for ‘C’ category from Rs 75,000 to Rs 150,000.

The match fees for Tests and ODIs remain the same, which are for ‘A’ category Rs 350,000 and Rs 300,000, for ‘B’ category Rs 300,000 and Rs 250,000 and for ‘C’ category Rs 250,000 and Rs 200,000 respectively.

The Twenty20 World Cup will commence from April 30. The Board has also offered other financial incentives to players including a bonus of 300 per cent of their total match fees for winning an ICC event, 200 per cent bonus for winning a one-day or Test series against India or any top-four team.

The Board has also introduced individual incentives like a prize of Rs 100,000 for a run out, or a bonus of Rs 300,000 for scoring a Test century and Rs 500,000 for making a double hundred.

Shahid Afridi (capt), Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Khalid Latif, Muhammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, Shahzaib Hassan, Shoaib Malik, Umer Akmal, Naveed Yasin, Hassan Raza, Kamran Younis, Misbah ul Haq, Babar Azam, Abdul Razzaq, Yasir Arafat, Hammad Azam, Rana Naveed, Umar Gul, Muhammad Aamir, Mohammad, Asif, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hassan, Abdul Rehman, Kamran Akmal (wk), Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Zulqarnain Haider.

Younus had announced his retirement as the T20 captain after leading the country to the World Cup title in June, but PCB said they will talk to the player to make him understand his importance at the helm of the team.

“PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has tasked the interim chief selector Wasim Bari and manager Yawar Saeed to speak to Younus and make him understand that it is important to have one captain for all forms of the game,” a source in the board said.

The senior batsman retired from the shortest version of the game as he felt that age is not in his favour.

T20 captaincy issue has assumed importance in Pakistan as they defend their World Cup title in just nine months time and before that are playing number of matches against New Zealand and Australia.

Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi who is a prime candidate for the post, has also put his weight behind Younis continuing as captain in all forms of the game.

Younis should continue as he was doing a good job but if offered the chance to lead his country he would not decline the offer, Afridi said in an interview.

“It is a great honour to lead Pakistan in any form of the sport. So if an offer comes I will not decline it,” he said.

“But Younus deserves a lot of credit for guiding the team to the World Cup last month. He created the environment where the senior players took the responsibility at the right time and it worked well for us.

“Younus never considers from which province or city a player is coming. Quality performance is the top criterion for him to decide whether a cricketer deserves a place in the team or not,” Afridi said.

Pakistan Cricket Board officials said the ICC has also given its clearance for the noble cause with the consent of the English and the Indian Cricket Boards.

“It is decided that the revenues would be donated for the six policemen and a driver killed in the attack and to the policemen wounded by the militants,” one PCB official said.

“It is a very good gesture from the Indians because without their cooperation and that of the England and Wales Board this would not have been possible,” the official added.

The practice match, to be held on June 3 at The Oval, will also act as a curtain raiser to the mega event. The match has already evoked huge interest and will be telecast live.

The attack on the Sri Lankan team near the Gaddafi stadium on March 3 shocked the cricket world as six policemen and a van driver were killed in the tragic incident.

“If political and diplomatic relations improve before October anything is possible and we can press the Indian board to include our national champions in the league as well,” a PCB source said.

Though the PCB officials were silent on the Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi’s statement that Pakistan would not be represented in the lucrative Champions League this year, sources said a change in decision could not be ruled out.

“The fact is that the Champions League is being held in India and given current situation only the government can decide when sporting ties will become normal with India,” a source said.

He said the issue of the Champions League would be discussed when the board officials of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh meet in Dubai with ICC officials to discuss the World Cup affairs.

Sialkot Stallions includes top players like former captain Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Asif.

ICC World Twenty20

Controversial pacer Shoaib Akhtar was on Thursday withdrawn from Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Championship squad due to a skin infection that has plagued him since last week.

A Pakistan Cricket board spokesman said a request has been sent to the technical committee of the World Cup to allow a replacement for the fast bowler.

“A medical panel of the board examined Shoaib Akhtar today and found he was suffering from genital viral warts and electrofulgation was done on May 12 but the panel found that he still needs a minimum of 10 days to recover from the ailment,” the spokesman said.

He said the medical board, which included consultant surgeon Dr Javed Gardezi and Dermatologist Dr Ejaz Hussain and PCB sports physician Dr Riaz Ahmed, has recommended another medical assessment of Shoaib in the first week of June.

“In view of the clinical assessment and report of the medical panel we have withdrawn him from the World Cup squad and a replacement would be named soon,” he said.

Pacer Rao Iftikhar or all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez are most likely to replace Shoaib. Sources in the board said that the decision to withdraw Shoaib was also taken after the team management of coach, Intikhab Alam and manager, Yawar Saeed made it clear to PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt they didn’t want Shoaib in the World Cup squad.

The latest assessment means that the fast bowler would also miss the domestic Twenty20 championship starting May 25 in Lahore.

“Intikhab was adamant that he didn’t want to take a risk with Shoaib’s fitness despite his experience and it would be better to have a replacement going to England,” one source said.

Shoaib didn’t attend the week-long conditioning camp in Bhurban last week because of the infection but was told by Intikhab he had to play in three Twenty20 practice matches from May 21 to 23 so that his fitness could be assessed before the World Cup.

“When Shoaib informed Intikhab on Wednesday he couldn’t play in the practice matches he was told clearly that he would now have to be examined by the PCB medical board and the management would not accept any other doctor’s report,” one source said.

The 33-year-old has played in just six one-dayers since December 2007 due to fitness and disciplinary issues and has taken only five wickets in them failing to complete ten overs in either of these matches.