PCB wishes to host global tournaments to recover financial loss

According to PCB chief executive Wasim Khan, Pakistan is prepared to host a major ICC event sometime in 2023.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan (right) says the Pakistan Super League can be concluded later this year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wishes to host a major cricket tourney to make up for the financial loss suffered due to India’s refusal to play a bilateral series against Pakistan.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan asserted that Pakistan was prepared to host a major ICC event sometime in 2023. “I don’t think hosting international cricket is now such a big issue for Pakistan as the security situation has improved now,” Khan told ESPNcricinfo .

He added: “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 Pakistan suffered a considerable financial loss due to India’s refusal to play matches in India or Pakistan for some years now. “There appears to be little chance of India and Pakistan playing and we have already suffered losses in millions of dollars,” he said.

'All in the same boat'

The chief executives of cricket boards will have a video conference with the ICC to discuss the T20 World Cup, the Asia Cup and the World Test Championship, Khan revealed. “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,” he said.

In this picture taken on June 16, 2019, Virat Kohli plays a stroke in the India-Pakistan World Cup 2019 contest in Manchester. The two countries haven't played each other in a bilateral series since 2012-13. - AP

 

Khan said the aim was to prepare an alternate plan whenever cricket resumed. He also backed the plea of Pakistan’s head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq, that even if the World Test Championship was rescheduled, every team got a fair opportunity. Misbah even advised the ICC to extend the time-frame of the Test championship, if required.

Khan said it was true that Pakistan wanted to play more Tests, but it also wanted a balance in the revised international schedule of matches to keep itself financially stable. He conceded that most cricket boards relied a lot on their share from ICC events for financial stability.

He insisted that a window be created later this year to complete the remaining Pakistan Super League matches; this could also give the PCB a chance to try out new venues. “It is not a joke that we just award the trophy to Multan Sultans on points basis. We need to close the PSL 5 by having remaining matches,” he said.