Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, said he was disappointed those organisational issues surrounding the World Cup remained unresolved and added that the legal proceedings the PCB has brought against the ICC would continue. "I had hoped and expected the support of my Asian co-hosts in resolving these organizational difficulties," he said. "I am deeply disappointed that no progress was made despite the intervention of both the ICC president (David Morgan) and vice-president (Sharad Pawar).
"This means that rather than harmony amongst the co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup we will have disagreement and legal dispute. I do hope that they will reconsider their unreasonable stance so that the legal dispute can be resolved and a hugely successful World Cup organized in 2011."
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The four co-hosts - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, had a meeting under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar to suggest as to where the 14 matches, originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan, could be played.
However, according to the sources, Shashank Manohar flatly refused to allow PCB to host their matches in UAE. "The PCB matches can only be held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (if not in Pakistan for security reasons)", he is believed to have said to the PCB.
The PCB has now again initiated the legal proceedings with the ICC. The PCB chief Ejaz Butt is also likely to raise the security levels in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the ICC meeting on June 25. "What if Government of India does not allow Pakistan team to play in India or Pakistan government refuses to send team to India", Butt is likely to raise the questions.
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"We sought support of our fellow Asian co-hosts for matches to be played under the aegis of PCB in a safe neutral venue. Despite the fact that these discussions had been brokered by ICC President David Morgan and ICC Vice President Sharad Pawar who is Chairman of World Cup Central Organizing Committee, no progress was made," PCB said in a statement.
"This will mean that organizational issues surrounding the 2011 World Cup remain unresolved and that the legal proceedings the PCB has brought against the ICC in Dubai and in Lahore will continue," it added.
Sources said India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had asked Pakistan to accept the hosting fees for the 14 matches totaling USD 10.5 million but to forget about hosting the matches at home or at neutral venues.
"At one stage Pakistan was told they could host four or five matches at neutral venues but Butt declined insisting on Pakistan getting its full quota of 14 matches," one source privy to the meetings said. PTI
Saturday, June 20, 2009
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2 comments:
This is very murky. While Ijaz has one genuine point on whether the Indian government will allow Pakistan players playing in India.
Having it at UAE is also strange, considering the distance and travel... though it is about 3 hours.
What I don't get here is why then can't the PCB broker a deal with the Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan board for revenue sharing (like the UAE deal) for the original set of matches that were to be played in Pakistan, now shifted to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They can kick India off their list. The Pakistan team should have adequate support in Bangladesh from the fans and maybe in the case of Sri Lanka, the least they can do for the goof up on the terror attack.
Unless, of course India has played spoilsport or Ijaz is hell bent on UAE.
Bottom line, Ijaz has done way too many damages earlier to ruin the relationship between these boards.
Scorpi,
From the 3 news reports, it seems that Pakistan was not content with hosting 5 matches and pocketing the dues due to them as co host.
I think the BCCI and the PCB have reached a point of no return in their relationship.
Just as well!
Cheers,
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