Daily Times

LAHORE: Seeking to protect its commercial interests, especially the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to provide written assurance that the latter will not host any other league during the October-March corridor, a PCB official said Sunday. “We have sought written assurances from the ECB that they will not host any T20 Leagues from October 2018 to March 2019 which could create a conflict of interest with our bilateral fixtures with Australia and New Zealand, and the PSL,” the official said. “The PCB has also made it clear to the ECB that it will look to Malaysia as a potential home venue if it fails to provide the assurance. If they do not give us these firm commitments, then we will consider the option of moving our fixtures to Malaysia. We have checked their facilities and they are up to the mark,” the official added.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has already revealed that its T20 League will be held in the UAE in October this year. A T10 league is also lined up to take place in the UAE towards the end of the year. The PCB had faced criticism last year for allowing its players to feature in the T10 league happening in UAE just months ahead of the PSL’s third edition. The board, however, had defended its stance saying it would have no impact on the league. The UAE has been serving as Pakistan’s ‘home’ for the past few years after an attack on Sri Lankan team in Lahore forced international cricket out of the country.

Meanwhile, PCB chairman Najam Sethi has highlighted that, while this demand has been accepted verbally, the board has also sought a written reply from them. “If any leagues are held in the UAE between October to March, we will be forced to shift our home venue from the UAE to Malaysia,” said Sethi. “We have agreed verbal terms with the Emirates board but we require a written response from them as well. Given the busy schedule Pakistan have, it does not sit well with the cricket board to allow UAE venues to be used while Pakistan’s cricket season is under way.”

Sethi said he had no problem with them holding events before September, but the Asia Cup woould be held in September followed by series with Australia and New Zealand in October, while January and February would remain busy followed by the Pakistan Super League (PSL). “So we just do not want anything to interfere with our cricket calendar,” he said. Sethi further highlighted that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was also wary of the number of T20 leagues popping up and is already working to devise a plan to regulate the calendar. “The ICC also has taken notice of the number of leagues coming up and soon a policy pertaining to it will be formulated,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, April 30^th 2018.