The terror strikes in Mumbai has hit India's tour of Pakistan, which now is most certainly going to be cancelled. But it's not due to security but diplomatic reasons as India wants to send a strong message to Islamabad by cutting all cricketing ties with Pakistan.
The tour that is scheduled for January is unlikely to take place even at a neutral venue.
A top official said: "The chances of the tour going on is very minimal."
After the attacks, the Indian Government is likely to instruct the Board of Control for Cricket in India to cancel the tour altogether. CNN-IBN has learnt that the series is also unlikely to be held in neutral venue.
"After what happened in Mumbai, the chance of an Indian team going to Pakistan is minimal. Of course it is for the government to inform the BCCI about the final decision but the situation is such that it appears that cricket between the two countries is unlikely," the source said.
The step is being seen in the context of Indian government's decision to take a tough stance in relation with Pakistan. A formal decision however is expected to be announced soon.
India were scheduled to play three Test matches, five One-Dayers and a Twenty20 match during their tour of Pakistan from January 6-February 19.
"The BCCI secretary N Srinivasan has told me that no such communication has come from the government. We will abide by whatever the government tells us regarding the tour," Shukla said.
Earlier, there were reports that some of the Indian players, like skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, were unwilling to travel to Pakistan due to security reasons.
Desperate to salvage the series, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt decided to tour India to convince the BCCI top brass and also offered to shift the series to a neutral venue, possibly Abu Dhabi or England, but after the Mumbai attacks, even that
possibility is now virtually non-existent.
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