BCCI rules out Twenty20 tie for Woolmer academy in S.Africa

Rajkot -- Borad of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Niranjan Shah today ruled out the possibility of the Indian team participating in a Twenty20 match with Pakistan for collecting funds for a cricket academy in memory of the late Bob Woolmer in South Africa.

"Where‘s the time. We have such a tight schedule and I don‘t think it‘s possible," Shah said in reaction to a media statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it was willing to play the tie during their teams tour of India in November-December.

Pakistan are due to play five ODIs and three Test matches when they tour India between November 1 and December 13.

Shah confirmed receipt of a letter from Gill Woolmer, Bob‘s widow, for hosting such a match, but added that he was yet to receive a formal request from the PCB.

In an official statement on its website today the PCB said it had already communicated to the late Woolmer‘s wife Gill of its commitment to play this match and will certainly opt for any venue that the host Board agrees upon, be it England and Wales Cricket Board or BCCI as desired by her.

"In this regard, PCB is even willing to play this match during the forthcoming Pakistan tour to India in November-December 2007 and consent from BCCI is awaited on this," it added.

Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room in Jamaica on March 18 this year, a day after Pakistan was booted out of the World Cup 2007 by underdogs Ireland.

Jamaican Police initially went to the media with the claim that Woolmer had been murdered, but later retracted and said he had died of natural causes. (ANI)