Some good news have come for Pakistan from the ongoing ICC Annual Meeting in Melbourne. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have made some significant gains as BCCI has signed binding agreements to play #6series with Pakistan, four of them #hostedbyPakistan, in next 8 years. Also Pakistan have been ranked at #fourthinthelistofbeneficiariesfromICC’s revenue generated by broadcasting deals. The next #ICCPresidentwillalsobefromPakistan. Considering these achievements, particularly the 4 series against India which will be hosted by PCB, it won’t be wrong to say that the #Big3isnowBig4. In February 2014, the former PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf had left Pakistan in precarious situation as all other 9 Cricket Boards, including CSA and SLC, had agreed with Big 3’s proposals. But despite being in precarious situation, Pakistan Cricket Board have now pulled off some good deals, thanks to shrewd and diplomatically adept chairman in Najam Sethi. If PCB was in hands of unprofessional such as Zaka Ashraf and Ijaz Butt, such significant gains were not possible. Also it is pertinent to mention here that PCB’s position is getting stronger in the ICC. Case in point is change in ECB and Giles Clarke’s rigid stance against Pakistan. It was reported couple of weeks ago on ESPNCricinfo that it was Clarke who was persuading Ireland to tour Pakistan. The same Giles Clarke who despite a successful series between Pakistan and Australia in England in 2010 denied to give English venues to PCB after Ijaz Butt’s allegations of match-fixing against England in 2010. The ICC Annual Meeting in Melbourne has come good for Pakistan. The four series against India will be a massive boost to PCB’s kitty, which was getting diminished in last few years as Pakistan haven’t hosted India since 2006.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 15:59:54 +0000