The PCB has successfully secured six series against India after signing a legal binding agreement for the next eight years.
Four of the six series will be hosted by Pakistan in the UAE or in Pakistan with mutual consent, while the other two will be hosted by India.
Furthermore, the PCB has emerged as the strongest cricket board apart from the ‘Big Three’ -- namely India, England and Australia --in terms of the percentage of revenue it will receive from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The PCB, led by Zaka Ashraf, had initially shown strong opposition to the ‘Big Three’ plan, which gave India, England and Australia the power to dominate world cricket.
However, the PCB was left alone in the battle as other countries also pledged their allegiance to the ‘Big Three’ plan and there was a fear of further isolation for Pakistan cricket.
As soon as Najam Sethi came back in power as PCB chairman, he tried to handle the situation swiftly so that Pakistan could make the most out of the situation.
According to PCB, the ICC has decided to grant Pakistan the fourth rank in the power game.
“A major achievement for PCB as ICC agreed on Thursday to grant Pakistan the fourth rank after the ‘Big Three’ in terms of the percentage of revenue to be received from the ICC in the next eight years from broadcasting and other rights on ICC fixtures,” a PCB press release read.
"It is a really big achievement,” said Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi.
According to Express News, if India refuses to play the series, they will be heavily penalised.
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@kulwant singh: People of Kashmir will have to sock it out with the Indians as your people did after the downgrade of your temple! Pakistan certainly is no longer the choice for any muslim!!
Rex Minor
@Ahmed: Even the land of Pakistan belongs to India mate. Moreover, If India decide not to play Pakistan, Your PCB will go bankrupt soon. So thank Indian generosity towards Pakistan.
@Indian Muslim:
"only deciding authorities are Hafiz sayeed and ISI."
Was Gujarat massacre also planned by ISI and executed by Hafiz Saeed, or by the man you voted to power? Like to know from an Indian Muslim.
@IndianFanatic: Us Pakistanis have pretty big hearts. i am sure we can accommodate your people.
I don't know when we will improve in other Sports. Why Cricket when only 8 Teams around the world play ?
@Ahmed, as a Kashmiri Pandit, I'm clearly not one of your so called "brothers", right?
if this is really true, then Najam Sethi deserves full credit, but sounds a bit too good to be true. will believe it when I see a press release from ICC or BCCI saying the same thing.
The cricket cheerers consider this. India occupies Kashmir and killing and persuting Kashmiris. India is supporting destabilizing whole of Pakistani state with it sabotage acts. Only the media groups will make money from cricket and so they put this above the nations self-respect.
@Ahmed: What about other Muslim living in India? Are they not your brother & sister?
Well done Najam Sethi and Well done PML N
@Ahmed: Dear Ahmad be realistic all the problems being faced by Kashmiris are due to Pakistan , at the time of partition the Raja of Kashmir did not joined India or Pakistan and remained independent, it was due Pakistanis that Maharaja Hari Singh joined the Indian Union and the Kashmir was devided had Pakistan followed the UN resolution in right spirt and withdrawn Pak security forces and Pak civilians from POK the referendum would have been carried out as decided by the the UN. You claim Kashmiri Muslims to be your brothers what about other Muslims living in India, Muslims of Afganistan and Iran are they not your brothers.
If one reads ICC's press release carefully, it says Pakistan will get fourth big share for only two years. So BCP spokesperson should speak truth.
@Ahmed: As a Kashmiri, I am constrained to inform you that the land is OURS. Not yours. Period. You need to know that most Kashmiris curse the day that Pakistan intervened in the Kashmir dispute (by sending legions of armed beards to Kashmir). We have lost an entire generation to this pointless, wretched war. The vast majority of Kashmiris wish Pakistan well and at the same time want to be a comfortable distance away from the death spiral that Pakistan is spinning within.
I doubt about the authenticity of this news. BCCI wanted PCB to support corrupt Srinivasan for ICC chairmanship post, and for this very purpose only offered to play "a bilateral series in UAE" - next year with Pakistan. Will anyone (PCB/Sethi) provide any proof of PCB being the 4th one among group and the "so called" legally binding 6 series against India????????
BCCI and PCB can sign all the agreements they want, only deciding authorities are Hafiz sayeed and ISI. If we don't have their blessings forget about it.
I would love to hear same news from the mouth of ICC or BCCI. As of now, its just a claim by PCB.
@IndianFanatic: There are doves and hawks on both sides of the border so a sweeping statement about all Pakistanis is not true.
Pakistan is 2nd biggest cricket playing nation in terms of cricket following nd was 2nd biggest contributor after bcci before cricket stopped in pakistan.
Show us the "legally binding" agreement. This is nothing but a Sethi ploy leaked to the press.
I am also a Najam's fan but guys Pakistan was always the fourth largest revenue contributer as Pakistan has following all around the world nothing new n no achievement.. Plus series with India will largely depend upon Indian government stance.
Appreciate it because it will generate revenue and both teams should play with each other on regular basis. Najam Sehthi has done a commendable job. Good luck to PCB
Well Done Najam Sethi,
Well done.Diplomacy was required and you did that.Najam Sethi.
It is a big achievement from Sethi if it is true and he must be appreciated regardless of political bias.
Who is the current Chairman of PCB after this post?
Shameful for PCB! Being Pakistani, I think PCB should have refused to play against India in protest of how they treat our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, and for occupation of OUR land.
4th Rank in terms of Percentage, WOW, if it is as it is said, I am sure it will be very good for Pakistani Cricket, Thank you Sir(Najam Sethi) I wasn't expecting anything good from you after GEO TV incident, but it seems you did some good job for PCB.
The Big Three have been too generous with Pakistan. After all they went all out to scuttle the deal. India should not have agreed to any bilateral series with Pakistan. If the shoe were on the other foot, would Pakistan have accommodated India? No way!
well done sethi saab. its great achievement considering pakistant current law n order situation. sethi has saved pakistan cricket from isolation.
PCB is moving Right direction. we need more good news ....
Big Three plan is a big disappointment for ICC and world Cricket. But it is time to move on now. Hope that BCCI will fulfill this mutual agreement. Pakistan cricket will improve financially and our cricketers will have more exposure on world stage ultimately.
Najam Sethi the man.
Qadri will make sure India plays in Pakistan. He'll remove corruption which will cleanse Pakistan from terrorism. We need cricket in Pakistan. Qadri the great, Qadri the lion. Cricket zindabad. JIYE QADRI JIYE QADRI.
Well done Sethi sb, despite of criticism by naunahalan-e-inqulab you did good job to bring back Pakistan in international cricket.
This is an excellent achievement and praise must be given where it is due, Mr. Najam Sethi.