ISLAMABAD: The high-ups of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), currently busy attending the ICC meetings in Durban, South Africa, are set to meet representatives of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in Dubai on Sunday and Monday to finalise details and schedule of the event expected to start from August 31.
One of the PCB officials in Durban told ‘The News’ that after initial talks held in South Africa, the ACC representatives are to meet PCB officials in Dubai on Sunday to decide all the details relating to the Asia Cup. Though the initial negotiations have been completed which confirmed early reports that Pakistan will be hosting only four matches.
“To start with, the ACC just agreed to hold one Asia Cup match (Pakistan vs Nepal) in Pakistan but following a series of discussion between former Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi and ACC officials it was decided that Pakistan would host three matches and then a fourth was added. Pakistan will host four matches now that include Pakistan vs Nepal and almost all the first round matches of other group, Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan. Pakistan will play against arch-rivals India most probably in Dambulla twice in a week and then again if both teams make it to the final," the official said.
The PCB official added that the important thing is not as to where the matches in Sri Lanka will be played, it is the financial aspect that is more important.
“It has already been finalised that Pakistan will only host Asia Cup matches as a host nation while the rest of the event will be held in Sri Lanka. The important thing is how much Pakistan gets as revenue to host remaining matches in Sri Lanka. By organising the event in UAE, we were confident of getting a healthy revenue from gate money, ground hoarding and other such related marketing ventures. But in Sri Lanka it is hard to generate an extra amount. We have to reach some understanding with the ACC to ensure that we would get revenues we are looking at," the official added.
Even during Najam Sethi’s tenure as the head of the PCB Committee, Pakistan was engaged in talks with ACC officials to ensure the amount equal to what India generated by hosting Asian cricket event in the UAE last year.
“That is what we are looking at and that is to generate the same revenues what India generated from hosting the Asia Cup last year in Dubai,” the official said.
Apart from revenue, other issues related to teams, officials, journalists travelling will also come under discussion in Sunday’s meeting in Dubai.
“PCB Chairman Zaka Ashtraf and BCC secretary Jay Shah who met a couple of days back in Durban had initial discussion on all the issues which are expected to be finalised in Dubai before its official announcement. One thing is certain that the only window available to host the Asia Cup is the first fifteen days of September with one match already decided to be held on August 31. From September 15 onward the World Cup preparations will take the centre stage," the official concluded.
Abdul Mohi Shah Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News