Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja said that the International Cricket Council is run by ‘India’s business houses’ as 90 per cent of funds of the ICC comes from India, which can cause havoc for PCB at will.
Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial affairs on Thursday in Islamabad, Ramiz said that it was time for the PCB to stop relying on ICC’s funding and start tapping the local market.
Raja said, “The ICC is a politicized body divided between the Asian and Western blocs and 90 per cent of its revenues are generated from India. It is frightening.”
ICC: A ’politicized event management company’
The PCB Chief added that 50 per cent of PCB’s budget comes from ICC funding which meant that India’s business houses are running Pakistan cricket and if tomorrow the Indian PM decides, he would not allow any funding to Pakistan the cricket board can collapse.”
Ramiz said that the India-funded ICC had become more of an event management company. He said that the PCB would have to make its voice heard if it does not want to see another cancellation of a signed series as New Zealand and England did on alleged security grounds.
He said, “What New Zealand did was unacceptable because till now they have not shared any information with us on what led them to abandon the series in Pakistan. But they are now trying to reschedule the series.”
Ramiz hinted that there could be some good news regarding the postponed New Zealand series in a week’s time. He indicated that the New Zealand cricket board was working on a new schedule to tour Pakistan.
Future Plans
Senior Senator Raza Rabbani suggested that Pakistan should now boycott to play against New Zealand and refuse any series but Ramiz briefed the senior leader about the impossibility of such a step as the country is part of a larger international cricket community.
Raja added, “The good thing is they are working on something which means they want to mend things with us.”
The New Zealand cricket team had arrived in Pakistan on September 11 for the first time in 18 years to play three ODIs and five Twenty20 Internationals but left on September 19 without playing any match after their government and security agencies cited security concerns.
Ramiz also said he would unveil his plans for Pakistan cricket and the board in a week or 10 days’ time.
He said, “To me, it is simple if the national team cannot do well and win matches it means that everyone on the board from the tea man to the top official has failed in their duties.”
