PCB Says All Countries Want To Play Against India To Make Money

The Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi has acknowledged that all countries want to play against India as it allows them to earn maximum revenue. Sethi disagreed with the notion that the Indian Board tried to hold the International Cricket Council hostage all the time. "I don't think we need to use such words like hostage. The fact is that broadcasters are from India, India has most money. Every ICC member wants to play India as this allows them to make money and India is a top team as well," Sethi told reporters.

"India's point of view or that what they think is that since they contribute most revenues to the ICC they should get more but for us all ICC members are equal."

He said that the Asian Cricket Council had put on hold a decision regarding the venues for next year's Asia Cup and Asian Emerging Nations Cup.

"Asia Cup and Asia Emerging Nations Cup tournaments are matters which are pending and so let us see what happens now," Sethi said.

The Emerging Nations Cup was earlier scheduled to be held in Pakistan next April.

"There have always been ups and downs in Pakistan and India relations including cricket so it is nothing new," he said.

Sethi said it was a wrong impression that Pakistan was desperate to play India and insisted it was about asking for its due.

"It is not a question of us falling over to get India to play with us. It is a question of asking for our rights. It is about USD100 to 150 million dollars revenue and it is not right for us to leave it like that," he said.

"There is nothing bigger than Pakistan and India matches. We are only asking them to fulfill their contractual obligation and if they could not adhere to it they should not have signed the MoU with us."

The PCB chief said that the Indian Board will have to get clearance from its government for hosting the Asia Cup and it was yet to be decided.

Sethi also defended the decision by the PCB to support the controversial T10 League held in Sharjah this month and allow players to appear in it.

"I look at this way that it has earned us money.

Initially, they were not willing to pay us anything but we got a substantial amount from them. My background is business and academic and when I negotiate I do everything which is to PCB's advantage."