The New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reschedule the tour they abandoned last month, the cricket board chairman told a Senate panel on Thursday.
The second-string New Zealand team had arrived in Pakistan on September 11 and pulled out of the tour on September 17, the day the first match of the series was scheduled, citing undisclosed security threats.
NZC CEO David White later said in a statement that the threats to their cricket team were "serious and direct" without divulging further details. The last-minute pull-out was followed by the England cricket team also canceling their tour to Pakistan as the PCB was left ruing financial and reputational losses.
New Zealand call off cricket series
While speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Raja said that the pressure created by the PCB has led NZC to reschedule the tour.
He said that a decision in this regard would be made in the coming weeks.
Briefing the Senate Standing body, Raja said that a renowned business personality had also promised a "blank cheque for the PCB" if Pakistan managed to beat India in the T20 World Cup.
The offer comes as Pakistan search for a win against India in ICC World Cups – both 50 overs and T20.
“One strong investor told me that a blank cheque is ready for the PCB if Pakistan beats India in the upcoming T20 World Cup,” Ramiz said.
He also stressed on improving the cricket economy, saying the cricket board could not survive on the ICC funding alone.
“PCB runs 50% on the funding of ICC, while 90 per cent ICC’s funding comes from India. I’m afraid that if India stopped funding ICC, then PCB might collapse because PCB gives zero per cent funding to ICC. I’m determined to make Pakistan cricket strong,” said Raja.
NZC CEO says 'will discuss' financial compensation aspect with PCB
He said if PCB were a powerful and financially strong board, England and New Zealand would never have abandoned their tours.
“If our cricket economy is strong, we won’t be used and then binned by teams like England and New Zealand,” he said. “Best cricket team and best cricket economy are two big challenges.”
No room for match-fixers
Referring to the past incidents of match-fixing, the PCB chairman said those cricketers who had disgraced the country and the game would never be included in the team. He said it was unfortunate that “our society sides with such cricketers”.
Raja also apprised the Senate committee that he had increased domestic players’ salaries so that they could focus on cricket.
“We have increased salaries of domestic cricketers by a Rs100,000 as we want to ensure that they earn at least Rs4 million every year. PCB is also looking for sponsors in this regard,” he concluded.