PCB, Pak cricketers’ interests paramount: Sethi

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday made certain facts straight regarding the T10 League set to be played in Sharjah next week.

Chairman PCB Najam Sethi said that he keeps the PCB and Pak cricketers’ interests paramount.The facts stated in a board’s statement, relating to PCB’s involvement in the tournament are as follows: It stated when the PCB Chairman Najam Sethi made his first statement regarding the T10 League there was a valid reason for withholding support from the tournament. At that time no one from the League had contacted PCB for its support. PCB had no idea of its format, scheduled dates, ownership or sponsors. Therefore the possibility of some conflict of interest with PSL could not be ruled out.

Later, after the sponsor of the League contacted the PCB and gave full details and disclosures, the PCB’s BoG determined that there was no conflict of interest with PSL.

The statement further added that originally, the date of the tournament was set in early February just before the PSL. This was not acceptable to the PCB. Then the organizers agreed to change their schedule and brought the tournament to mid December 2017 which was acceptable to PCB.

The statement further said: “originally, the organizers wanted the PCB to issue NOCs to Pakistan players free of cost like it’s done for other Boards. But since no reciprocity was involved in their case, the PCB demanded a hefty fee in exchange and obtained $400,000.

Originally, there was no communication from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). Later, the ECB formally sought our support in exchange for their continuing support to PSL and PCB. The ECB also agreed to reduce the cost of their venues for PSL by 10 per cent, thereby reducing our cost by over $250,000.

“They were seeking the same advertising sponsors as PSL. But PCB compelled them to contract only with those who were not tied to PSL so that our revenue base would not be depleted,” it added.

“We consulted with all PSL franchises. Two had reservations. These were dropped after we explained the situation and satisfied everyone that there was no conflict of interest with PCB. “They had no plan for Anti Corruption security. We compelled them to pay PCB’s ACU for providing oversight along with the ICC’s ACU.”

Chairman PCB Najam Sethi says: “The interests of PCB and Pak cricketers have been uppermost at all time. How can I ever agree to supporting anything that is against the interest of PSL that we have built up with such determination and hard work against all odds?”

PCB hopes that a hurtful campaign against PCB must stop and a neutral/unbiased perspective on the T10 League and PCB’s involvement in the tournament is given.