PCB mulls Malaysia as venue for New Zealand, Australia series

LAHORE: The UAE’s future as a ‘home’ venue for Pakistan is under threat as clashes between T20 leagues and international commitments have forced the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to look to Malaysia as a host venue.

Pakistan is due to host New Zealand and Australia later this year, series which would ordinarily be played in the UAE. But Sharjah’s growth as a destination of choice for various T20 leagues means venues could be limited for the PCB.

Sharjah will host a new Arabian Cricket League run by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), every year in January, just before the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is scheduled in February. The new Afghan T20 League this year, meanwhile, will be played primarily in Sharjah, and coincides with Pakistan’s schedule against Australia and New Zealand. Those two series, in October and November, include five Tests, at least five ODIs, and a few T20Is.

“We have been informed by the ECB that they wish to host the Afghan Super League and also the Arabian Cricket League,” Najam Sethi, the PCB chairman, told ESPNcricinfo.

“The Afghan League is tentatively scheduled by them at a time when our Australia and New Zealand series (will be) taking place in the UAE and they are denying the Sharjah facility to us because of the Afghan League. So that’s a problem for us,” he said.

“Secondly, they want to hold the Arabian League in the month of January every year, whereas Pakistan Super League is scheduled for February, so this will come before us and precipitously close to us, which will create difficulty for us, especially if they want our players to participate in both the leagues,”

“Therefore, I am going to Malaysia to explore the prospects for at least shifting our Australia and New Zealand series if they insist on denying the Sharjah facility to us during the Afghan League. Nothing is certain right now,” added Sethi.