‘Blank cheque’ ready for PCB if Pakistan beat India in T20 World Cup: Raja
England recently pulled out of their men’s and women’s tour to Pakistan scheduled in October 2021, just days after New Zealand abandoned their limited-overs tour of the country citing security concerns
A “strong investor” has promised the PCB a “blank cheque” if Pakistan can beat India at the upcoming T20 World Cup tie in Dubai on October 24, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has said.
The arch rivals will meet for the first time in two years in the UAE this month. The last time India and Pakistan faced each other was also in a World Cup, albeit in the ODI format, in 2019, in England.
India lead Pakistan 12-0 in World Cups, winning seven games at the 50-over World Cup and five in the T20 format.
“PCB runs 50 per cent on the funding of ICC. Ninety per cent of funding to ICC comes from India. I’m afraid that if India stopped funding ICC, then PCB might collapse because PCB gives 0 per cent funding to ICC,” Cricket Pakistan quoted Raja as saying.
“I am determined to make Pakistan cricket strong. One strong investor told me that a blank cheque is ready for the PCB if Pakistan beats India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.”
Also read: Men’s T20 World Cup: India to face Pakistan in first match
England recently pulled out of their men’s and women’s tour to Pakistan scheduled in October 2021, just days after New Zealand abandoned their limited-overs tour of the country citing security concerns.
Raja, who only recently took over as chairman of the PCB, is keen to secure the financial prospects of the board and Pakistan cricket in general.
“If our cricket economy is strong, we won’t be used and then binned by teams like England and New Zealand. Best cricket team and best cricket economy are two big challenges. We have increased salaries of domestic cricketers by a hundred thousand rupees as we want to ensure that they earn at least four million rupees every year. PCB is also looking for sponsors in this regard,” he said.
