Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are in a deadlock over the expenses of the chartered flights and other costs incurred by the PCB during the Asia Cup 2023. The PCB has demanded additional compensation from the ACC, apart from its share of the hosting fees, ticketing fees, and sponsorship fees.
The Asia Cup 2023 was co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka in August-September this year. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan, but the Indian team refused to tour Pakistan due to security reasons. Therefore, the tournament was organized on a hybrid model, with most of the matches being played in Sri Lanka and four matches being played in Pakistan.
The PCB had to hire the services of a Sri Lanka-based company named Classic Travel to arrange four chartered flights for the teams between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The PCB paid $281,000 to the company for this service. The PCB also had to bear the hotel and transportation charges for the teams and the officials in Pakistan.
The PCB has sought compensation for these additional expenses from the ACC, as they were not included in the initial budget of the Asia Cup. The PCB has argued that these expenses were incurred due to the hybrid model, which was agreed upon by the ACC to accommodate the Indian team.
ACC refuses to pay additional expenses to PCB
The ACC has refused to pay additional expenses to the PCB, as it believes that the PCB had agreed to host the matches in Sri Lanka in exchange for hosting four matches at home. The ACC has said that the PCB had the option to host the entire tournament in Pakistan, but it chose to share the hosting rights with Sri Lanka.
The ACC has also said that the PCB had the responsibility to pay for the chartered flights and other additional expenses, as they were part of the hosting arrangements. The ACC has said that the PCB had decided to hire the chartered flights on its own, without consulting the ACC.
The ACC has also said that the PCB had made some changes in the hosting schedule, which increased the expenses. For example, the PCB had shifted one of the matches from Lahore to Multan, near the hometown of the Cricket Management Committee (CMC) chief Zaka Ashraf. The CMC is a body formed by the PCB to oversee the hosting of the Asia Cup.
The dispute remains unresolved
The dispute between the PCB and the ACC remains unresolved, as both parties have stuck to their positions. The PCB has said that it will not accept any deduction from its share of the hosting fees, ticketing fees, and sponsorship fees. The PCB has said that it will take legal action against the ACC if it does not pay the additional compensation.
The ACC has said that it will not pay any additional compensation to the PCB, as it has already paid the hosting fees, ticketing fees, and sponsorship fees as per the agreement. The ACC has said that it will defend its position in any legal forum if the PCB takes any action.
The dispute has created a rift between the PCB and the ACC, which are the two major cricket bodies in Asia. The dispute has also raised questions about the future of the Asia Cup, which is a biennial tournament featuring the top cricket teams in Asia. The next edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in 2025, with the host country yet to be decided.
