Adding fuel to the controversy about telecast of the forthcoming India-Pakistan series, International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani said without live telecast the matches cannot be played.
"This is a worrying situation for us and we are closely monitoring the situation," he said over phone from his London office on Tuesday.
Emphasising the importance of the telecast, he said as per ICC guidelines every host country has to make necessary arrangements with a prescribed number of cameras on the field to provide live feeds for the third umpire to make crucial decisions.
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"These live feeds are very crucial, as you know now-a-days a number of decisions are referred to the third umpire," Mani said.
Asked what would be the ICC's stand if the telecast issue is not settled by the time the Pakistan team arrives in India, he replied: "We cannot sanction the matches to be held."
Apart from the requirements of the third umpire, he said, there are millions of cricket lovers not only in India and Pakistan but across the world who like to watch these two teams clash.
"It will be a disservice to the game of cricket if this India-Pakistan series is not telecast live across the world," Mani said.
"I am surprised that why every time this matter is taken to court at the last moment as earlier also it had happened," he added, referring to a similar row during the South Africa and Australia series in October-November.
He said the ICC is in constant touch with the BCCI in this regard and would be closely monitoring the developments.
The Pakistan team is scheduled to land in India on February 28 to play three Tests and six One Day Internationals but the BCCI has not yet awarded the telecast rights due to a stay order passed by the Madras high court on a petition by Zee Telefilms.
