LAHORE: The uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the entire schedule of international cricket upside down and Pakistan cricket is no exception of course.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is quite puzzled about how to continue with the planned schedule of tours and what measures can be taken to check the financial losses and how to adjust the suspended schedule into the next year if the pandemic crisis gets extended.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, speaking in a podcast session on Tuesday, sounded concerned about the many issues at hand but appeared clueless as to how the PCB will deal with all the challenges ahead including holding of the matches even with empty stadiums, signing new media rights contracts and making logistics arrangements in view of the prevailing situation etc.

The chairman, however, said the PCB is sincere with all its commitments and by showing flexibility it will meet the challenges as all cricket nations have to support each other in these testing times. He also said that all future planning of the PCB would be made without considering any bilateral series against India as they had not remianed reliable anymore.

“The biggest challenge ahead is of signing a new media rights contract, as the previous one has almost ended. We have to host big nations like Australia, New Zealand and England between now and 2023 and we have to play some matches against South Africa as well.

‘No matches planned with unreliable India’

“But how we can do marketing for these important series under the current situation is a big challenge ahead since the uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic is shrouding the future,” he said. “On the other side broadcasters are also going through a difficult time as they are also under economic pressure. So perhaps they will not give us as much as they have been giving in the past,” he pointed out.

“Our biggest long time partner (a beverage company) will also have to sign a new contract as the old one has expired. But to sign a good contract we both need certainty about the resumption of the international cricket at home,” he observed.

About the series against India, Mani said: “In our planning no cricket against India will be included because in the past they have betrayed us twice. Though we don’t mix sports with politics, we know that India is unreliable and we will not plan anything with them in mind,” he stated. “However, if it happens out of the blue we will see it but it is not in our planning,” he said.

“Under the current situation, we have to prepare ourselves for the worst and hope for the best.”

It may be mentioned here that in past the PCB had signed media rights deal, twice including bilateral series against India in the plan. Though the media rights companies in the past had offered very generously for the Indo-Pak series, they paid very less for the other series against other countries. “In the end the PCB had to bear the losses as India did not play Pakistan,” he recalled.

To a question, the chairman said holding cricket in empty stadiums is also not easy. “Cricket in empty stadium has its own challenges. Teams have to go in planes and they have to live in hotel, use local transport so it is not possible under current situation.

He said though the PCB and the ECB were in close contact regarding Pakistan’s upcoming tour to England in July, its fate hangs in the balance due to prevailing situation.

“We are scheduled to visit the Netherlands, Ireland and for the most important series against England and if these series go as per schedule then it will give good financial benefits to all. But if these series could not be held as scheduled, it will not be easy to adjust them in any slot next season due to hectic calendar of activities ahead.

“Moreover, we have to host Zimbabwe at the end of the year and most importantly play the T20 World Cup in Australia and then T20 Asia Cup are to be held but again question marks are indeed here,” he said.

“If the cricket does not resume in near future all the cricket boards will face financial problems and it will not be easy to adjust suspended schedule in next year’s schedule,” he said.

“As per the discussion at ICC level, the future of the remaining schedule of the ICC Test Championship is also in doldrums as very little time is remaining. Many series have already been cancelled,” Mani added.

He said PCB has two main priorities right now; first to safeguard the interest of the players and then its staff. He said the PCB is financially strong and it could face this situation for the next two to three years, but no further. He said no staff would be sacked and there would be no unusual cuts in the near future.

To a question, Mani said if the ICC tournaments will be hit, that would bring a far reaching negative impact on the financial position of many cricket boards. About the Pakistan Super League, he said it was a huge success despite the facts its last matches could not be held due to corona virus threat.

He said the PCB had spotted a couple of window to hold the remaining four matches of the PSL, including the final. He said if the PCB could not get any time to complete the remaining schedule, it would sit down with the franchises to take a decision with consensus.

About Asia Cup the chairman said: “Nobody still knows when and where it would be held as a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard. Though Pakistan was the original host but since India is not ready to come to Pakistan for the event which is scheduled for September this year, the Asia Cup may be held in any other country,” he said.

To a question, the chairman said the PCB had expressed interest in holding any of the ICC events because it had the infrastructure, the ability to host even the World Cup. However, he said the PCB could host any ICC event with UAE as co-host.

Mani said in the next three weeks time, the interim domestic cricket set-up in six provincial associations would be functional. He said the scrutiny of the clubs across the country would start soon.

Mani reiterated that the PCB had zero tolerance policy against corruption in cricket and it was in favour that laws should be introduced at the government level against the corrupt people. He observed that Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lankan governments have formulated the laws, declaring the acts of match- or spot-fixing a crime. He said the PCB would also talk with the government to introduce proper laws in this regard.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2020