LAHORE: Though the Pakistan Cricket Board has not demanded any exact amount as compensation from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for sending its team to Bangladesh, against its turn of hosting them, the PCB expects to receive an amount of $300,000, well-informed sources have told Dawn.

“The BCB is holding a meeting on Sunday to decide the compensation amount against the losses the PCB suffered when they [BCB] twice refused to send their team to Pakistan in recent years. As the BCB is taking our turn of hosting them [for a series], the PCB is not ready to bear the expenses of the tour. So, hopefully the BCB will announce a sufficient amount, around $300,000, for the PCB as compensation,” sources said.

“The PCB will utilise this compensation amount to send the squad to Bangladesh from April 14 to May 10 for a full series comprising two Tests, three ODIs and a T20,” sources added.

Sources further said the PCB has also expressed its concern over the security situation in Bangladesh, particularly after cricket fans in Bangladesh expressed their angry reaction to some of the decisions made by renowned Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar in the World Cup quarter-final between Bangladesh and India. Those decisions went against Bangladesh.

The PCB, sources added, also wants security from the BCB for the forthcoming series on its soil, particularly in the wake of several death sentences given to various leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh in recent times. Pakistan officially had given a cautious-cum-disapproving reaction to the hasty executions, a stance which received negative reaction from Bangladeshi public.

“Bangladesh has assured us complete security [for the forthcoming series] and there is no issue in this regard. Let them decide a comprehensive compensation for the PCB, we will be ready to send our team there for the series,” sources said.

Meanwhile, the players’ central contract would also be signed before the departure of the national squad to Bangladesh, sources revealed.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2015

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