LONDON, June 26: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which has lost about $25 million from cancelled tours since last year, will demand compensation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its executive board meeting which began here Wednesday at Lord’s.

New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies refused to tour Pakistan after the Sep 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the US, while India cancelled a tour in January last year for political reasons. The crisis is pushing the PCB closer to bankruptcy, director Brigadier Munawar Rana said.

Rana said he would try to persuade the executive board, which comprises cricket’s top officials, that the PCB was a victim of circumstances.

“We need more than words of sympathy; we need action and the first action should be compensating the losses,” Rana said in an interview. “We want the ICC and its members to realise this and create a solution to help Pakistan play cricket in Pakistan and to help us recoup major losses.”

ICC was considering a fund to aid cricket boards that lose money through circumstances beyond their control. The ICC will decide in the next two days whether the compensation will be a loan or a grant.

The PCB earns 90% of its income from television rights, Rana said, with the rest mostly from ticket receipts. Without international cricket, Pakistan loses a chunk of its revenue. The India tour would have earned it around $15 million.

The second most lucrative tour for the PCB is by world champions Australia, who are scheduled to play a Test series there in October. With some leading Australians reluctant to go, Rana said Pakistan may have to play their home series in Australia. A final decision will be made within a month.

Should the ICC not support the PCB, Rana may go on the attack. He expressed frustration that Pakistan has toured countries such as India, Sri Lanka and England when they have also had problems with militants. He said Pakistan will tour Zimbabwe later in the year, where Australia refused to go in April because of civil unrest.

“We have given everyone a chance when they had problems, but when it comes to our turn people refuse to tour for their safety,” Rana said. “Concerns are fair enough, but there is a recognized civil war going on in Sri Lanka, yet the ICC chose to stage the Champions Trophy there.”

Following a Test victory in April over New Zealand, ranked third in the world, and a 2-1 one-day series win against Australia this month, Pakistan’s team has proved itself a worthy commodity. Yet it cannot generate much money.

“The pity is that despite having one of the most exciting teams in the world, Pakistan is not getting full value for the kind of team we have,” Rana claimed.—PPI