LAHORE: Keeping the commitment to “assist” Pakistan cricket by compensating the losses it has suffered due to the drought of international cricket at home, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is spending over a million dollars on the on-going Independence Cup between Pakistan and World XI. It was reported on Tuesday that the ICC was spending at least $1.2million on the series. “The amount is paid to internationally recognised security firms hired by the PCB for the series,” a source was quoted as saying. This assistance is directly in connection with ICC board’s decision in September 2016, which agreed to provide some sort of assistance to Pakistan after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) requested ICC to establish a fund for the cricket deprived country. “The ICC can’t compensate boards for missing the opportunity to host series at home, so the council decided to assist Pakistan in the best possible way,” the source added. “The PCB made a request for a special assistance fund to be allocated to Pakistan in light of its financial issues related to not being able to compete at home. The ICC board, on the recommendation of its financial and commercial affairs committee, agreed that some form of assistance would be provided and the matter would be discussed with the PCB going forward,” ICC had said in September 2016. “The ICC then suggested PCB hire internationally recognised security experts for the World XI series and their fees would be paid by the council,” further said the source. The security firms had been in contact with the PCB in the past as well and have been working with various cricket boards. Published in Daily Times, September 13th 2017.