Sethi tells India to play series against Pakistan, or forfeit and lose points
LAHORE: After much debate on non-inclusion of players from Balochistan in PSL team Quetta Gladiators, the PCB has said that it will make it mandatory for franchises to keep at least one player from the region they’re representing.
PCB Chairman Najam Sethi told the media after a meeting of PCB’s board of governors that the matter of non-inclusion of players from the province in Quetta Gladiators was discussed in the meeting.
“The matter was brought up in the meeting by Quetta region. This is not PCB’s decision and who is to be picked is totally up to the franchises,” said Sethi.
“After deliberation, we agreed that from the 4th edition of PSL, the PCB will include a clause to make it mandatory that franchises should pick at least one emerging player from the region it represents,” he said.
Sethi hoped that PSL franchises would support this idea.
The chairman added that he’s aiming to bring all PSL matches to Pakistan in the next two to three years and the board is working to achieve the same.
“We are renovating stadiums, we are getting security clearance to have matches in Pakistan, we are on the right path,” he said.
“Maybe by the 4th edition, you’ll see half of the matches coming to Pakistan and then all the games will come to Pakistan,” Sethi added.
Sethi confirmed that the schedule for the upcoming edition of PSL will be announced in a week or so as the PCB is in discussion with Dubai and Abu Dhabi authorities over the allocation of matches.
He also indicated that after a couple of years, two more teams will be added to PSL’s line-up.
Replying to a question, Sethi revealed that few players who have agreed to tour Pakistan for PSL matches have expressed reluctance on visiting Karachi.
“We have prepared two lists of players. One is of the players who have agreed to visit both cities and another is of players who have agreed for Lahore only,” he said.
The chairman also confirmed that for the next edition of PSL, three matches will be in Pakistan, two in Lahore and the final in Karachi.
PLAY OR LOSE POINTS, SETHI TELLS INDIA: Moreover, Najam Sethi told Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that either they will have to let their team play against Pakistan or forfeit in case the teams are drawn against each other in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship.
There were reports in Indian media on Wednesday that BCCI representatives met Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to discuss the possibility of resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan.
“We are having our final meeting with our law firm in London next week and we have decided to file the claim with the ICC disputes resolution committee in first week of January,” Sethi said.
He said the Board of Governors had been briefed about the existing ties with India and they have approved filing of the compensation claim. “We are claiming compensation from the BCCI for not honouring a MoU to play 24 matches with us. They obviously have said they are not bound to pay us anything as they can’t play with us without government clearance,” Sethi said.
“Our first priority is that India should resume ties with us that would be an ideal situation. Both the Boards can make money and people want to see Pakistan and India play. But if they don’t want to play then we are seeking millions in compensation from them,” he said.
Sethi said once the compensation claim is filed it will have some effect on the ICC’s Future Tour Programme. The PCB chief also announced that Pakistan have no issues playing with India in the ICC Test Championship.
