Pakistan is not the part of ICC’s revamped structure but its contribution in the game at the international level is enormous, according to Arif Abbasi, the former PCB chief executive.
“I am not sure whether there was any real offer [for Pakistan] to join hands with India, Australia and England and to make it a ‘Big Four’, but the fact is our country’s contribution to cricket can’t be ignored,” he said over telephone from Karachi.
“Don’t forget it was Pakistan which won the 1987 World Cup bid and not the Indian cricket board. Only at the insistence of NKP Salve, the BCCI chief then, India could become the co-host”, he informs.
Elaborating more about the 1987 World Cup, Arif said, “It was decided at Lord’s (ICC Headquarter then) that Hinduja would sponsor the joint World Cup but India’s prime minister at the time, Indira Gandhi, was not comfortable with the idea and Reliance came with the bigger offer and that’s how the World Cup was given Reliance name.
“The transformed 1987 World Cup was the first largest money spinner after the FIFA World Cup,” added Abbasi.
“The idea of having neutral umpires and match-referees was first mooted by the PCB. The idea of sending professional manager on tours was also initiated by us and was widely appreciated.”
Abbasi went on to add: “We formed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and its constitution was prepared in Pakistan. NKP Salve was offered to be the first president of the ACC.
“The proposal to benefit former cricketers [from India and Pakistan and others thereafter] in Sharjah was made by us and the Indian cricket board accepted it,” he recalled.
“Also, Sri Lanka’s Test status was piloted and proposed by our board.”
Listing more contribution by Pakistan, he said, “Our proposal to arrange matches between the domestic winners of India and Pakistan teams at Delhi and Lahore was also a success. My last proposal was to organise the Test World Cup.
“It was submitted in 1996-97. If they have proper records and filings of paper, it may still be lying over there,” Abbasi concluded.
