LAHORE, Nov 12: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will cut short its administrative budget to 50 per cent by the end of this month, by downsizing, reducing domestic cricket expenditures as well as regional level expenses .

PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Saleem Altaf told Dawn that all departmental heads were preparing their recommendations about how to trim down administrative costs of the PCB.

“The cost of administration is too high and unbearable especially after the suspension of international competitions from Pakistan on security grounds this year forcing the board to eliminate unnecessary expenses,” Saleem said.

“The PCB is taking steps as it could not earn any substantial income this year because Australia did not tour Pakistan and later ICC also deferred the Champions Trophy for one year (which was to be held in Pakistan in September) on security grounds. We could only earn some income through a Twenty20 Cup in Canada and now from the ongoing three one-day series against West Indies in Abu Dhabi,” he said.

“The PCB has upgraded different grounds across the country and it is also maintaining them while it should be the responsibility of the local associations to maintain their infrastructure since PCB is also giving annual grants to these associations that should be used on maintaining the infrastructure,” he said.

Asked if the grounds would not be affected by removing the ground staff, Saleem admitted that was important and it was why the departmental heads had been advised to submit their suitable recommendations to avoid any mess.

“All necessary expenditures will be done as the real object of the entire exercise is to avoid unnecessary spending,” he said.

He said the PCB had in fact frozen its budget except that of the renovation work on the Gaddafi Stadium and Pindi Stadium and now every expenditure was being made after getting the approval of the competent authorities.

He said only the National Cricket Academy was costing Rs 10 million per month and the its new Director Aamir Sohail had been advised to prepare plans to cut short the expenditures.

“All the departments are preparing a revised budget keeping in view the current financial position of the PCB and it will be approved soon,” he said.