Miandad canceled India visit on PCB chairman's advice

Miandad, now a senior official in the Pakistan Cricket Board, declined to comment on the issue except for saying that some pressing personal commitments had come up, but sources close to him said he called off his visit to India on the advice of Ashraf and some senior people in the government.

Miandad who played 124 tests and is now Director-General cricket in the board was due to leave tomorrow for New Delhi to watch the third and final one-day international against India on Sunday.

The news about the Indian government issuing a visa to Miandad created controversy in India where BJP and Shiv Sena questioned the decision, given his ties to India's most wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim.

The uproar started after Miandad himself told a Pakistani newspaper that he had got tickets and visa to travel to India, a country he has not visited since his son got married to the Ibrahim's daughter in July, 2005.

A reliable source told PTI that Ashraf who was in India had spoken to Miandad about his planned visit after the uproar in India and advised him to cancel his visit as the feeling was that this was not the right time to spoil an environment where relations between the two countries appear to be improving.

"Javed is very disappointed as he was looking forward to the trip and wanted to pay a visit to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah for prayers," the source said.

The PCB has maintained a stony silence on the matter.

Miandad also had to cancel his visit to India in March, 2011 to witness the World Cup semi final at Mohali and claims he had also got the visa for that visit also but cancelled it himself due to some personal commitments.