September 14, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 13, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 13: Ehsan Mani, a former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), said that the PCB has requested him to assist it in selling out their TV/Media rights for the next four years.

In an interview, Mani said that even in the prevailing conditions, the PCB could get the full market value for their home series subject to a universal condition that broadcasters will not pay any thing in case of any team pulling out from any series.

Mani, who retired in 2006, as the ICC president, besides helping sell the ICC media rights in 2006-07, has also helped the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in similar manner.

“There is no doubt that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has grabbed most of the TV rights money but I hope the PCB’s TV rights for the next four years would be sold at full market value,” Mani said.

“The PCB, however, would suffer in case of any team not fulfilling its obligation. For example, Sri Lanka are talking of not coming to England next year as they are interested in the IPL, then English broadcasters would not pay for the series not taking place,” he added.

Mani admitted that in case of any team pulling out does not mean that the host country is only losing TV rights money but it suffers huge and immeasurable loss in terms of advertisement, endorsements and most of all great loss to the projection and promotion of sports in the country.—Agencies