PCB look to host Sri Lanka in the UAE

Abu Dhabi, Dubai once again sought as venues for series.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approached the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for hosting its home series in the UAE, according to the ECB’s Chief Executive Officer Dilawar Mani.

With Sri Lanka refusing to tour Pakistan for its full series in October, the PCB has to look to neutral venues to ‘host’ the series and while UAE was termed an ‘expensive venue’ in the past, Mani has urged the PCB to devise a financial plan that helps them avoid making losses.

“I can confirm that the PCB has once again contacted us for the business plan to host their series we will reply in the next two weeks,” Mani told The Express Tribune. “The PCB wants to deal with us on a series-by-series basis and, at times, last minute. This is not normal and leads to them making financial losses. You can’t come up with a good sponsor on a very short notice. I urge them to come up with the correct strategy and plan the series well in advance so that it helps them.”

According to Mani, the PCB has requested them to prepare costing for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that starts in October as well as the Pakistan-England series at the end of January. Both series will comprise three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a one-off Twenty20.

“Pakistan have good support here and we want them to make it worth their while to come and play here. They could play in Sri Lanka as well but that’s up to them to decide. But here they will get immense support which works wonders for the team’s confidence.”



Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2011.