|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 13 January 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Pakistan expect losses from Windies Tests in Sharjah KARACHI, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Test series against West Indies, which has been shifted to a neutral venue at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, is likely to make a loss, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday. West Indies had been scheduled to play three tests and three one-day internationals in Pakistan from January 25, but said last week they would be unwilling to tour because of the escalation of border tensions between Pakistan and India. "There is no question of us making any profits. We will make nothing from this series. We may even end up spending from our own resources," PCB Director Brigadier Munawwar Rana told Reuters. "The situation has been so fluid that now we have no time left to properly market the series. The position is we don't even stand to earn revenues from selling television rights of the series," Rana said. The PCB said earlier this week it had shifted the matches to Sharjah, where the first of two tests is expected to start on January 31 and the second from February 7. It is proposed that the three one-day internationals will be held on February 14, 15 and 17. Rana said the bleak financial outlook for the Sharjah matches was compounded by the high costs associated with producing the series at a neutral venue. All these costs, including ground fees, hospitality and allowances for both teams and match officials, would be Pakistan's responsibility, he added. More time "The PCB is not saying that it will not play at neutral venues in future because it is not a profitable venture. Maybe if we had more time we could have earned revenues from this series," Rana said. "While we understand the concerns of the West Indies board...we intend to tell the ICC that there is nothing wrong with visiting teams playing in Pakistan. "Since the September 11 incident, no untoward incident has occurred in our country." Pakistan cricket has been hit hard after the September 11 suicide plane attacks on the United States and the subsequent U.S.-led bombing of Afghanistan. Tours by New Zealand and Sri Lanka were cancelled and India pulled out of an Asian Test Championship match at Lahore, causing losses to the PCB estimated at $8-10 million. Pakistan played just one test and five one-day internationals between last July and December. The Sharjah matches will mark the first time a test series has been played at a neutral venue since 1911-12 when South Africa and Australia played three tests in England. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
