Express News screengrab of PCB Chairperson Najam Sethi's press conference on April 11 in Lahore.
“We would have gone bankrupt in two years if we were not to play home tours with major teams,” he said. “This is why it is very important to start this process of playing with India.”
He clarified that the money would be earned through bilateral tours, in which India had a major role, and through International Cricket Council (ICC) fixtures. He added that the PCB will be able to use these funds to develop grounds and infrastructure for betterment of the sport in Pakistan, and for cricketers to get better contracts and facilities.
He said that the PCB had demanded BCCI to make these agreements legally binding, adding that once that is done, the PCB will conduct the bidding process for broadcasting rights over the next 6 to 8 years.
PCB to nominate ICC president
“ICC has agreed to our request that next year PCB will nominate the ICC president,” the chairperson announced, adding that if the chairperson is from India, the President will be from Pakistan.
Anti-corruption
He also mentioned that the ICC had formed a new committee upon insistence from the PCB to review ICC’s anti-corruption laws. The PCB had claimed that some of the rules are unfair, as Mohammad Amir was banned for 5 years despite having cooperated with authorities while others with much severe violations had the same ban.
PCB has finalized Foreign Tours Program for next 8 years#PCB #PressConf
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 11, 2014
For the first time PCB to sign legally binding agreements with BCCI for tours over the next 8 years#PCB #PressConf
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 11, 2014
Former PCB chairperson reacts
Speaking with Express News Friday evening, former PCB chairperson Zaka Ashraf said that according to an agreement that he had signed with the ICC, Pakistan was supposed to nominate the ICC president anyway, after Bangladesh get their turn. “It’s all on record.”
When questioned about Sethi’s assertion that PCB would have gone bankrupt if these agreements were not made, Ashraf said that this is a misleading perception. “When I came on board the reserves were Rs4 million and when I left a year later they were at Rs5 billion.”
“All that PCB has to do is manage itself better,” he said.
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Respect Najam sethi a lot. But I am skeptical about his assurance received from india. Its election time nobody in power in india is catering anybody be within or outside the country. All are highly focused on winning elections. Secondly nothing of this sort has come up in indian media or by bcci press conference. Tomorrow when this falls flat on their face, india shouldn't be led responsible for lies and miscommunication on pcb's part.
Justify your job Mr. Sethi. Isn't appointing you the PCB chairman without any due process, a direct political interference on the game? Secondly, how can you call yourself an unbiased journalist if your job is now directly dependent on praising the government now?
pakistan's helplessness....LOL
I could come up with many reasons to sack Noon government but here is another one: Hiring Najam Sethi as a chairman of PCB.
the man keeps throwing candy at us and we love it. there is no chance of a home tour or a Pakistani ICC chairman. BTW, if you're in the market for one, i have a used car i'd like to sell you.
Najam Sethi has a few tricks to sell Goebbells and Machiavelli.
Mr. Najam Sethi...........kite flying does not become you.
Mr. Najam Sethi............kite flying does not become you.
Mr. Sethi, I have a lot of respect for you, but I hope you are not lying to your own people. I see it all the time in Pakistan and it would be a shame if you did the same.
Monitoring the media in India, I can say with certainty that I have not heard any corroborating news from BCCI.
I trust najam sethi. He is a good human being. Rab rakha
What about k akmal and s malik sir as I am a die hard fan of cricket and have great problem watching them in the team again and again and again. Thank you.
Wasn't "principle" more important to Pakistan than money?? Just wondering.
India vs Pakistan game on.
so we agree we are basically bankrupt, with no money and beggars who again went around to ICC and India begging to play here to get some money. Its so shameful..
I respect Najam sethi for his secular and rational views. However, i don't think in , "....He said that the PCB had demanded BCCI to make these agreements legally binding,.." , demanded is the right choice of words. Just like pakistanis can not say that pakistan 'demanded' $1.5 billion gift from the saudis!
Home Tour? Does it mean Pakistan or Dubai and has pakistan got clean chit for organizing internation tournament in pakistan?
We were allowed to play bilateral series anyway and Rupees 30 billion is nothing if you consider it in dollars and divide by 8 years. Can someone please ask what has he really achieved?
Our nation is full of hero worship and very difficult to accept any change, some of us even want to live centuries old lives. PCB's Chair person was changed and created a big hue and cry, why not to give him a chance for betterment and if he is not unto his duty then make an other change for betterment but don't stick on one for stagnation of development.