PCB's plan to host World XI hits expense barrier

'The expenses for bringing team to Pakistan is ten times what the PCB had anticipated'

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might face a setback in their plan to host the World Eleven next year due to financial constraints.

A reliable source in the PCB told Press Trust of India that the expenses anticipated by the board were far less than what would actual cost.

"The PCB has asked Giles Clarke of the England and Wales cricket board, who also heads the ICC task force on Pakistan, to organise the tour for them," the source said, as quoted by NDTV.

"PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan held several meetings with Clarke during a recent visit to London where the plans for having a World eleven play in Pakistan were discussed and finalised.

"But the expenses quoted by Clarke for assembling the World eleven and bringing them to Pakistan is ten times what the PCB had anticipated.

"Clarke has included the names of some big players like Chris Gayle, Glen Maxwell, Pollard, Bravo, Morgan etc in his anticipated squad and obviously these top players will have to be paid well to get them to be part of the World eleven," the source stated.

The source further added that the PCB has requested Clarke to review and reconsider the expenses for the tour so that the dates can be finalised.

Zimbabwe became the first full-nation team to tour Pakistan since the 2009 militant attacks on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore.

The source explained that the Zimbabwe tour cost PCB less than what the World eleven’s tour will cost them.