PCB approves Rs. 1 billion budget for legal action against BCCI
PCB chief Shahryar Khan claimed that they have approval for a budget to cover the costs for filing compensation claims against BCCI. The PCB planned to file a claim against the BCCI for reneging on its promise to play a bilateral series to the disputes resolution committee of the ICC.
Shahryar Khan said that the board of governorâs meeting on Friday had given approval for the budget to cover the costs for filing the compensation claims against BCCI in the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reserved around Rs. 1 billion (100 crores in Pakistani rupees) for it.
âWe have hired a British law firm to represent us in the case and file the compensation claim with the disputes resolution committee,â Khan said as reported by PTI.
Earlier, an official source of the PCB informed PTI that the Board's chairman Shahryar Khan, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Najam Sethi, and Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad had held three separate meetings with BCCI representatives in June in Birmingham and London. With no thawing in Indo-Pak relationship over the past few years, the BCCI has maintained that they will not play Pakistan in all the three meetings so far.
âThe BCCI claims they canât play any bilateral series with us since their government is not giving clearance to them,â he added.
In the MoU, the BCCI had agreed to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2022 but has not authorized even one series till now. The PCB, he said, had already sent a notice to the BCCI seeking USD 69 million in compensation from the Indian cricket board.
âWith India refusing to play us in a bilateral series we have lost millions in revenues. Even our broadcasting contract is clear that unless Pakistan and India donât play a series or more during the tenure of the contract a sizeable amount is deducted from the contract amount (sic),â he said.
Khan also confirmed that the planned tour by the World XI to Lahore from September 12 was subject to clearance and security assurances from the government of Punjab.
âGiles Clarke who is organizing the tour as head of the ICC special task force on Pakistan cricket has some reservations over the delay in the PCB giving them clearance for the tour,â he said.
Earlier, Afghanistan Cricket Board and PCB had âinformally agreed' to play a couple of Twenty20 games in July and August. But ACBÂ declined the series and cut off the cricketing relationship with Pakistan because of the May 31 bomb blast in Afghanistan where 80 people died. And one of the ACB
âThe Afghanistan board has (to) apologise for the way they publicly gave a statement about Pakistan and Pakistan cricket. We were surprised at their statement because we have always supported Afghanistan cricket,â he added.
Khan also appealed to the young women to join country cricketâs team as the current teamâs performance in Womenâs World Cup was not good.
âWe all agree that there is a need for more players to come up on the womenâs circuit as the same set of players more or less have been representing Pakistan for the last six to eight years.â
In the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan cricket team which was led by Sarfraz Ahmed managed to beat India in the finals and won the title.
âSarfraz Ahmed did a very good job as captain and we feel that since he has been made captain in all three formats and is still young Pakistan cricket has a good future ahead of it,â he said.