KARACHI, 28 May 2004 — The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday that television commitments and the need to have a continuation of revenues and international cricket at home had forced it to start looking at other options to replace the scheduled Test series against Zimbabwe in October. "It is obvious that there is a serious crisis in Zimbabwe cricket. It is clear that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is not going to allow the present Zimbabwe team to play Test matches. In such a situation we have started a process of looking at other available options for the October home series," PCB chief executive Rameez Raja said.
He said the cricket operations department of the board had been instructed to study the 10-year future tours program of the ICC and see which team was available to tour Pakistan in October for a Test series. "We are not jumping to conclusions. But it is evident that the team being fielded by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union at the moment is their second or third string and not up to the level of most of the other nations," he said. "It is also clear that the ICC is not going to allow the present Zimbabwe team to play Test cricket. And if this situation persists we have a problem on hand," he said. Zimbabwe is due to tour Pakistan in October to play two Tests and five One-Day Internationals.
But a growing dispute between the ZCU and 14 rebel white players has already led to the cancellation of two Tests that Australia and Zimbabwe were due to play this month, a decision backed by the ICC. Australia is presently playing just three One-Dayers against the severely depleted Zimbabwe side. Rameez said Pakistan was waiting and watching the situation closely in Zimbabwe and it was not keen to jump the gun. "Because we have excellent cricket relations with Zimbabwe and have always supported them. We also have to look at the problems involved in canceling a scheduled Test series. Specially the financial aspects," he said. But he insisted that the scenario in Zimbabwe cricket was not very good and Pakistan had to be prepared for the worst case scenario in advance as these days it was very difficult to convince teams to tour on a short notice. "We certainly don't believe that the ICC would suspend Zimbabwe's full membership in June at the executive board meeting. But if this crisis is not resolved in Zimbabwe cricket than we have to seriously look for some team to play Test cricket in October and also a triangular One-Day series if possible," he said.
"As per our contract with Ten sports we are obliged to organize a certain number of international matches at home in a year. Although the recent series against India has been a financial bonanza we still need revenues to be generated and more importantly we can't go without any international cricket," he said. Rameez also made it clear that the PCB, before taking any firm decision, would seek guidelines from the ICC. And added when the ICC executive board meets next month in London Pakistan would be discussing several other options for its home series in October.
South Africa has already said it would not host a depleted Zimbabwe team later this year while sacked Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak has also called on Test playing nations to boycott Zimbabwe. He said Pakistan fully supported the decision of the ICC to cancel the Test matches with Australia because it would have served no purpose for the present Zimbabwe side to play against Australia without the Tests having official status.
Meanwhile, the PCB has reached an agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board under which a Pakistan 'A' team will play in the premier domestic tournament in the Caribbean islands next year. Rameez said that a Pakistan "A' side would play in the Busta Cup next year around the same time that the Pakistan team would be touring the West Indies for a Test and One-Day series. "This commitment was made sometime back and has now been formalized. It is very much on. What we have to see is what would be the composition of the team we send to play in the Busta Cup," he said. He said in all probability the policy would be to select a team that would include the fringe Pakistan players and also members of the side that wins the domestic circuit's premier competition.
"This will be the first time that a Pakistan representative team would be playing in the West Indies domestic tournament and it should give our players a unique opportunity to play in totally different conditions." Rameez said the Board had also finalized two other tours for its 'A' team this year. "The Pakistan 'A' side will tour Kenya in late August to play in the triangular series for which the Indian board has also confirmed it would send its 'A' team." The Kenya tournament will feature the 'A' sides of Pakistan and India and the Kenyan national team. "While we have also asked the South African Cricket Union to confirm dates for sending its academy team to Pakistan later this year," he added. He said the South African academy team was originally scheduled to visit Pakistan in April but the tour had to be postponed because of the home series against India. "But we are now trying to get them to tour later this year. Because as a matter of policy we are very keen to give maximum playing opportunities at a representative level to our upcoming players," he added.
Rameez said the Board was also trying to tie up some assignments for its junior team. "We are planning to convince the Asian Cricket Council when it meets in London next month to formalize an exchange program of matches between the junior and second string sides of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for the next four years," he stated.
