PCB to push for elimination of Big Three at ICC meeting

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shaharyar Khan has said his board will oppose the 'Big Three' governance system and revenue distribution formula in the upcoming ICC board meeting, as it wasn't a system based on equality.

Shaharyar Khan was also not supportive of the idea of four-day Test matches.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shaharyar Khan on Friday said that he would push for the elimination of the Big Three governance system and revenue distribution formula, besides opposing the proposal for four-day Test matches at the ICC board meeting at Dubai. “We want the Big Three governance system and revenue distribution formula abolished and we see no constitutional problems for the ICC to do this,” Shahryar told the media before leaving for Dubai.

Shaharyar made it clear that Pakistan had supported the Big Three governance system in 2014 because India had signed a MoU with them that they would play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. “That was our reason and condition for supporting the Big Three but when India has not fulfilled its obligations under the MoU, we see no reason to continue our previous policy,” he pointed out.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has profited the most from the Big Three governance system as it gets the major chunk of the revenues that ICC earns from its events and broadcasting rights between 2015 and 2023. India is suppose to get around 21 per cent share followed by Australia and England.

No equality

Shaharyar said Pakistan had done its homework on the revenue distribution system and wanted equal share for all member countries. “Under the current formula we will end up with just around USD 98 million while India stands to get around 500 million. We don’t see this as a system based on equality.”

Shaharyar said the PCB was expecting India to oppose disbanding the Big Three governance system but due to changes in Indian cricket board set-up it may not be clear about its policies. “The ICC meetings will give us a chance to sit down with the new office bearers of the Indian cricket board and see what they have in mind specifically in relation to bilateral series with us,” he said.

Shaharyar also said that Pakistan would not support four-day Tests as there was no need to tinker with the spirit of Test cricket. “Five day matches are the spirit of Test cricket and what happens if it rains in a four-day Test? I don’t think we need to try to change things with Test matches.”