Najam Sethi Sets Fresh Condition for Signing ICC ODI & Test League
Oct 16, 2017 at 7:43 PM
The newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi revealed the Board would only sign up for the recently approved Test Championship and One-day international league if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would honour the Memorandum of Understand which was agreed upon both Pakistan and India for the bilateral series.
According to the 2014 MoU, the neighbouring countries were scheduled to play six series between 2014 and 2023 after two cricketing giant wrestled in the last limited-overs series way back in 2012.
“Pakistan will sign provided 1) We get bilateral matches with India no less than those agreed in the MoU of 2014,” Wisden India quoted Sethi, who has become the chairman of PCB for the third time.
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However, the tensions escalated at the borders which further strained the relationship between both the sports-loving nations, as BCCI made it clear by stating the government has a right to dictate following the security concerns.
It’s pertinent to mention the new Test champion staged for the top-nine teams would further allow the respective boards to decide their opponents owing to the mutual understanding, to play three home and three away Tests with the World Cricket League Championship final scheduled at iconic Lord’s in London.
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The scheduled series are pending due to no clearance from the Government of India, the first of the total six series was proposed for 2015, but eventually failed to take place even being offered a neutral venue for India.
“2) Without prejudice to our legal position viz MoU in which 24 matches are listed in period until 2023,” Sethi remarked.
Pertinently, seen as the watershed moment for the global cricket, the world cricket governing body International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the plan which eventually failed in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
However, the debatable question would be how the league structure will take place while considering the considerable revenue without the competition between India and Pakistan if PCB would pull out owing to the in principle agreement.
Since 2007, Pakistan is yet to host a Test match at home, as PCB are further seeking the compensation from BCCI which is equal to the staggering amount of US $70 million while stating the Indian counterparts have failed to honour the MoU.
With PCB sought help from lawyers in the United Kingdom, the stand-off between both the boards could further witness ICC framing a three-member committee — to find the best possible solution.
“We expect to formally file before the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee within the next two or three months,” Sethi mentioned.
Moreover, the signature for the league would highly-likely take place in January 2018, as the scheduled is expected to be detailed out in November, this year.
Under the tutelage of CEO Dave Richardson, ICC revealed their fresh plan in the Board meeting in Auckland, as the Test league is bound to kick start after the culmination of 2019 World Cup.
On the other side, the ODI league will be comprised of 13 teams which will feature in four home and four away series respectively.
Interestingly, the second was scheduled to be hosted in November as the strained relations forced BCCI to invite Sri Lanka for the bilateral series.