LAHORE: It seems the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started an austerity campaign to avoid financial hit in case the lucrative series against India to be held later this year is cancelled, as it has decided not to provide kits to around 160 players representing regional teams in the forthcoming Quaid-i-Azam Trophy qualifying round.

The participating teams featuring in the round starting across the country on Sept 17 include Bahawalpur, Lahore Blues, Sialkot, Multan, Karachi Blues, Faisalabad, Fata and Abbottabad.

Dawn learnt that the PCB had intimated the regional bodies about the development. But as the PCB is yet to finalise the programme to provide a sponsor to each region, under a scheme, it may be difficult for the regional bodies, particularly smaller ones, to arrange funds for purchasing the kits.

The PCB, however, is providing kits for the final round of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy and for the National T20 Cup, too, starting in Rawalpindi on Sept 1.

It is significant to mention here that the first PCB attempt to acquire sponsorship for the regional bodies has failed as no sponsor in the bidding could even match the value price of Rs20 million set by the Board.

However, reports are coming that negotiations are under way with different sponsors and in this regard Karachi Region has received a good offer from a local sponsor.

It has been learnt by Dawn that the PCB was expecting a revenue of around $50 million by hosting India in the UAE later this year. But as the Indian government, till now, has not shown any visible positive signs allowing the BCCI to play any bilateral series against Pakistan due to tense political relations between the two countries, all PCB hopes to mint money from this high-profile series are fast diminishing.

“Now except an austerity campaign there is no other way for the PCB to survive [financially],” sources told Dawn.

More steps including downsizing of the staff were also on the cards, added sources.

Meanwhile, the PCB, when contacted to give any reason behind the decision of not providing the kits, was reluctant to comment.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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