LAHORE: Top officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are set to meet in Dubai on May 29 and begin negotiations over the financial loss suffered by the former due to India’s constant refusal to resume bilateral series with Pakistan, well-placed sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

The BCCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the PCB in 2014 for six bilateral series between two countries between 2015 and 2023 with Pakistan hosting four and India two.

It was in return for PCB’s support for ICC’s ‘Big Three’ formula, which saw India, Australia and England become major beneficiaries of the income of cricket’s governing body. The ‘Big Three’ model was scrapped in April this year.

Pakistan seeks $69.4 million compensation for India not resuming bilateral series

The PCB is looking for a compensation of US$69.4 million for India not living up their commitment with the BCCI claiming it isn’t receiving the green signal from its government.

Sources said PCB chief Shaharyar Khan, executive committee chairman Najam Sethi and chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad will engage the BCCI’s delegation led by CK Khanna in the meeting.

“If both the boards fail to reach at any conclusion then a second round of negotiation will be held in the presence of the ICC chief executive officer Dave Richardson on another date,” the sources added. “And if the second round fails, then the matter will be referred to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee.”

The PCB had sent the BCCI a legal notice for not complying with their agreement, which the latter rejected claiming it was only a MoU between the two sides.

“The PCB is also seeking recovery for a three-ODI series which India had to play against Pakistan in the country or at any neutral venue in return of same number of matches Pakistan played in India in 2013 under Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy,” sources said.

Pakistan had toured India then with the hope their neighbours would return the favour but cross-border tensions meant there have been no bilateral series since.

APP adds: Meanwhile, PCB chairman Shaharyar on Tuesday discarded earlier reports that they were due to meet the BCCI for talks on resumption of bilateral series during the ICC Champions Trophy match between the two arch-rivals in Birmingham on June 4.

“We will go to the Champions Trophy in England next month where our Indian counterparts would also be present,” he told reporters outside the Parliament House in Islamabad. “But talks with BCCI for Pak-India series won’t be happening.”

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2017