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KARACHI, Sept 22: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday threatened to sue United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) for US$3.5m in losses from their cricket tour cancellation, unless the International Cricket Council (ICC) intervened to force a rethink by South African
“The ICC must keep in mind the loss Pakistan cricket would suffer due to South Africa’s pullout,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Tauqir Zia said in a letter to ICC president Ehsan Mani.
The PCB estimates it will lose US$3.5m in sponsorship and television rights from South Africa’s last minute cancellation.
If the ICC fails to intervene, the PCB will take South Africa to the council’s dispute committee to claim losses, Zia said.
The Proteas called off their tour on Saturday, one day before they were due to depart for Pakistan, in the wake of a minor bomb blast in an empty Karachi office building on Friday night. No one was injured in the blast.
The UCBSA said security in Pakistan had deteriorated to an unacceptable level, and offered to either play the series outside Pakistan or delay the tour until security improved.
The PCB however has refused to play the series away from home and is seeking to resurrect the tour by changing venues and postponing it by one week.
The Proteas had been scheduled to arrive on Monday and play a warm-up match in Karachi on Wednesday ahead of a three-match one-day series and three Test series.
“We have already written to UCBSA suggesting postponement by a week and excluding Karachi as a venue. A copy of rescheduled tour has also been sent to the ICC,” Zia’s letter said.
“We expect ICC to intervene and instruct UCBSA to cooperate and take the tour as planned.”
sa officials meet today
JOHANNESBURG: South African cricket bosses will meet in Johannesburg Tuesday to discuss reviving the cancelled tour to Pakistan, the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) said Monday.
The UCBSA said its chief executive, Gerald Majola, had received a letter from his counterpart at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, offering alternative fixtures.
“Gerald Majola is to convene a meeting of the management committee of Cricket South Africa in Johannesburg on Tuesday to discuss the PCB proposal and to receive a full briefing from security consultants,” the UCBSA said in a statement.
The Proteas called off their tour to Pakistan on Saturday after a bomb blast in an empty Karachi office building on Friday night. No one was injured in the explosion.
The UCBSA said security in Pakistan had deteriorated to an unacceptable level, and offered to either play the series outside Pakistan or delay the tour until security improved.
The PCB has refused to play the series away from home.
Its new fixtures exclude Karachi and have the option of excluding Peshawar.
The UCBSA committee will consult with the South African government, national coach Eric Simons and captain Graeme Smith before a final decision is made.—Agencies
