The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asserted that it is not paying any extra money to the Zimbabwe team to tour the country for the upcoming ODI and T20 series.
Zimbabwe are scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20s in Rawalpindi and Lahore between October 30 and November 10.
PCB CEO Wasim Khan said in 2015 and thereafter the PCB had to pay money to Zimbabwe, a World eleven and the West Indies players to compete in Pakistan, but it was not the case this time.
“We believe that was the right move then and was done to build confidence in the visiting players, the cricket boards and to help revive cricket in Pakistan. However, the PCB has moved on very quickly from this,” he said.
“The need to entice international players to Pakistan by offering handsome financial rewards is now firmly behind us. Instead, the PCB will invest these valuable funds into our women”s cricket, upgrading our infrastructure, improving domestic and international player contracts and developing world-class coach education programmes,” Khan added.
Allegedly the PCB, which was then run by Shaharyar Khan and Najam Sethi, paid $12,500 to each Zimbabwe player in 2015, while each member of the World XI received up to $100,000 in 2017.
The PCB also paid the West Indies side in excess of $250,000 in 2018 to play three T20Is in Karachi.
In addition, the ICC paid an independent security firm $1.2million over three years as part of its contribution for the resumption of cricket in Pakistan.
Khan said the biggest progress was that now Test cricket had finally returned to Pakistan with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh playing five-day matches last season. Additionally, an MCC team toured Lahore last year for the first time in 48 years.
The PCB also hosted the entire fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League in the country, this year.
Khan said the decision by Cricket South Africa to send a delegation to Pakistan next month for inspection and assessment for a planned visit in January and talks with the English Cricket Board to send their team to play three T20 matches in January next year were positive developments for Pakistan cricket.
“The England and Wales Cricket Board’s positive intent for visiting Pakistan for a short three T20I series in January 2021 is a clear indicator that after the 2019-2020 season, international teams can feel very confident coming to Pakistan, fully aware that our safety and security provisions are robust and our hospitality remains second to none,” the PCB CEO said.
“We have scheduled home series against Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and England in the next two years. These series will surely provide the cricket fans and followers plenty of quality cricket, thrill and excitement, which will be extremely pleasing and satisfying for us,” he said.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
#PCB #ZimbabweCricket
