Pakistan Cricket Board wants to host International Cricket Council event to cover losses

April 5, 2020

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants the International Cricket Council (ICC) to award it the hosting rights of a major event as a recompense for financial losses incurred as a result of India's refusal to play a bilateral series against them.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan asserted that Pakistan is prepared to host a major ICC event sometime in 2023, telling the Deccan Herald "I don't think hosting international cricket is now such a big issue for Pakistan as the security situation has improved now.

"The fact that we have logistically hosted the entire Pakistan Super League in Pakistan and also teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for Test matches besides other smaller events and series shows we are capable of hosting a big ICC event."

Khan said that if Pakistan gets a major ICC event it would make sense as it has suffered lot of financial losses due to India’s refusal to play matches in India or Pakistan over recent years now and also because there appears to be no chance of any Indo-Pakistan series taking place in the near future.

Khan advised "there appears to be little chance of India and Pakistan playing and we have already suffered losses in millions of dollars."

As reported by the Deccan Herald, Khan said that the chief executives of cricket Boards will have a video conference with the ICC to discuss World T20 Cup, Asia Cup and World Test Championship.

He went on to say "there is no doubt that because of the Coronavirus pandemic every board is facing a big challenge to reduce their financial losses as much as they can. We are all in the same boat. We have similar interests. When this conference is held we will be discussing future measures."

Khan said the aim is to prepare an alternate plan whenever cricket resumes. He also backed the plea of Pakistan's head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq that even if the World Test Championship is rescheduled every team should get a fair opportunity.

Misbah has advised the ICC to even extend the time frame of the Test championship if required. Khan said that it was true that Pakistan wanted to play more Test matches but at the same time it wanted a balance in the revised international schedule of matches to keep itself financially stable.

He conceded that most of the Boards relied a lot on their share from ICC events for financial stability. He also insisted that a window would be created later this year to complete the remaining Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches and it could also give the PCB a chance to perhaps try out new venues.

Image: The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

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