LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) explained its
stance on the T-10 league which is scheduled to be held in the UAE later
this month through a press release issued late on Thursday.
The
Board pointed out that the ICC has not disapproved the league. “In fact
it has lent the support of its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to it to
ensure it is free of such problems, the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Cricket
Boards are fully supporting it with one team each of their players,”
the release said.
“The PCB has taken a fee of US $400,000
from the league to allow only ten of its centrally-contracted players
to participate in it. This money is being spent on game development in
the country.
“The PCB BoG has agreed to support the
League following a firm request from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB)
that is a PCB partner in critical ways by hosting PSL and PCB bilateral
cricket series. The apprehensions of two PSL franchises were resolved in
a meeting on the subject earlier and there is no conflict of interest
or competition between a 10 over league spread over four days only in
one venue and PSL spread over 34 matches and six weeks in four venues,”
the press release further said.
“Players from six top cricketing national boards like
England, West Indies, South Africa, etc have got NOCs to play in this
league. These include Eoin Morgan, Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite,
Dinesh Chandimal, Darren Sammy, etc. In fact, many current players from
across the globe are featuring in the league which shows the PCB has
released players in a competitive event.”
The PCB, in
its release, pointed out a significant fact the Anti-Corruption Laws of
ICC will be applicable on the league games. “This means there will be an
Anti-Corruption Unit set up for the event like in any international
event or league to keep an eye on players, and keep the game free of
corruption. Two PCB ACU representatives will also monitor the league.”
It
further explained that with the gradual return of international cricket
to Pakistan, the Emirates Cricket Board has to develop its own events
that can sustain its cricketing infrastructure in the UAE and events
like T10 that are in no competition with PSL enable the ECB to plan
their future once Pakistan cricket fully returns.
