Pakistan receives major share of ‘Big Three’ spoils

PCB to obtain highest revenues after England, India and Australi.


Nabeel Hashmi June 26, 2014

KARACHI:


After a six-months of opposition, negotiations and appeasement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally emerged as the biggest victor after the ‘Big Three’ in terms of the percentage of revenues to be received from the International Cricket Council (ICC).


Led by Zaka Ashraf at the time, the PCB had initially shown strong opposition against the revamp plan of the ICC – which essentially gives India, England and Australia the power to dominate world cricket – along with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).



A little while later, the PCB was left alone in the resistance as all other countries changed their stance, and it was feared that Pakistan cricket would be isolated.

However, the PCB worked its way through the deadlock and attempted to gain maximum positives, the outcome of which was witnessed in the ICC annual meeting on Thursday.

According to the PCB, the ICC has decided to grant Pakistan the fourth rank in the power game on a day when suspended Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) president N Srinavasan became the ICC chairman.

“It’s a major achievement for the PCB as the ICC agreed on Thursday to grant Pakistan the fourth rank after the ‘Big Three’ in terms of the percentage of revenue to be received in the next eight years from broadcasting and other rights on ICC fixtures,” read an official PCB press release.

BCCI signs agreement with PCB on six tours

The board officially roped in six series against India over the next eight years, out of which four will be hosted by the PCB in the UAE or Pakistan with mutual consent.

All cricket boards agreed on the Future Tours Programme, which will run through 2015 to 2023, and Pakistan successfully converted the Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) signed earlier this year with the BCCI into legal binding agreements.

“[PCB Chairman] Najam Sethi has secured great advantage for Pakistan, as India has officially turned the MOUs signed earlier this year regarding the six rubbers between the two nations – four of these to be hosted by the PCB in the UAE or Pakistan with mutual consent – into binding agreements straightaway,” added the press release.

“The six tours are now part of the Future Tours Programme and are to be played from 2015 to 2023.”

Meanwhile, the third achievement for Pakistan on a successful and historic day was that the ICC confirmed that the country would get the position of the ICC’s president for one year with effect from June 2015.

Sethi ecstatic with achievements

PCB chairman Sethi expressed his satisfaction over gaining important achievements after the initial standoff between Pakistan and the rest of the boards.

“The PCB had planned to get maximum advantage for Pakistan cricket from an extremely precarious position,” said Sethi. “We have accomplished all our objectives.

“I am positive that in the times to come, Pakistan cricket shall benefit greatly from what the PCB has been able to obtain today [Thursday].” 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2014.

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COMMENTS (6)

Happy Pakistani supporter | 10 years ago | Reply

Yes Boss! You're absolutely right. As long as we get the money we're happy. Now for a reality check, let me clarify that India is in the big three because Indian cricket generates that much money for the ICC.Pakistan plays on rented grounds, but then the rented grounds generate more money per ticket. The only thing we lose is a Sunday outing to the cricket ground (which is in fact a huge loss for the Pakistan supporters). On a cost benefit analysis we're very satisfied. Thank you for such a detailed analysis, what i would suggest is that you run some numbers and when reality hits you smack in the face, don't forget to comment.

Someone | 10 years ago | Reply

@Vectra: Rant over?

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