Pakistan reserves the right to pull out of Asia Cup next year, Najam Sethi warns BCCI

[Abdullah719]

Najam Sethi at a presser:

"The T20I and ODI series against NZ will be very competitive."

"I have no doubt that Sarfaraz Ahmed and his team will put up great performances and I wish them all the best."

"We have eight members from regions and four from departments in the PCB board. It would be ideal if members from some regions could find some sponsors for QEA and that the departments were big multinationals who were willing to support domestic cricket."

"Everyone talks but when it comes to putting money where your mouth is, problems start. Let's be realistic, we try so hard but why don't we get sponsors for domestic cricket? We make a whole package for the sponsors including the finals of QEA but the sponsors have some complaints; firstly, there aren't enough eyeballs watching. There aren't many people who want to watch four-day games."

"This is a question ICC has to face all the time, viewership for Test matches in the grounds and on TV is very low. Five days sponsorship is less in value than what sponsors gain in one day for a T20. This is why ICC has set up a fund so that Test cricket doesn't die. This is a global phenomenon. Sitting outside and complaining about QEA not having sponsors is very easy but we can't force sponsors to come forward."

"We have tried to arrange matches against strong teams in the FTP to improve performances. If we wanted, we could have included more matches in FTP against teams like Ireland, Bangladesh and Afghanistan but we want to play against the big guys. I think we've done a very good job with the FTP."

 

[MenInG]

No reason to keep on explaining FTP stuff

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Focus should be on playing more Test cricket to develop players who can replace the likes of Younis and Misbah.

7 years of Test cricket for Azhar and just 62 matches despite not missing many due to injuries or other reasons. Ideally it should have been 80+ easily had they played more.

Too much emphasis on getting more ODI and T20 matches shows how little bothered Pakistan are of playing Test cricket.

 

[PakSarZameen]

He mentioned Bangladesh as minnows next to Afghanistan and Ireland haha legend

 

[MenInG]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1379026/p...ll-out-of-asia-cup-next-year-sethi-warns-bcci

LAHORE: India’s objection over Pakistan hosting the 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup might force the latter to exercise its ‘right’ to pull out of the Asia Cup which will be staged in India in September next year, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi warned on Tuesday.

Representatives from India and Bangladesh were absent during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Lahore in October after they raised their aforementioned objections in a meeting earlier in Dubai which led to the decision that Pakistan will host the Emerging Teams Asia Cup in April 2018.

“The ACC Development Committee head and Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Thilanga Sumathipala tried to convince India and Bangladesh that they were also invited to attend the meeting [in Lahore] but they did not come. So the committee, with majority members’ votes, went on to make the decision in favour of Pakistan,” said Sethi at the national team’s new kit unveiling ceremony here.

“I also raised the point that since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaiting an approval from the government to hold the Asia Cup and wants the visa clearance of all the participating teams, the PCB will decide whether to go to India or not because we are also bound by our government’s clearance,” he added.

“Over this situation, all the member countries decided to defer the discussion and take a final decision later.”

The PCB chairman admitted that the longer format of the game is struggling to attract sponsors which was evident when the PCB’s Board of Governors suggested in a meeting that the country’s premier first-class competition Quaid-i-Azam Trophy be discontinued.

However, Sethi believed the traditional format shall be adhered with whether it attracts any sponsors or not. “Representatives from four regions and well-reputed departments are a part of the BoG, but none of them could offer the sponsorship for the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy,” he said.

“But the fact is that the PCB has to invest on the Trophy, even if no sponsors come forward.”

He expressed delight at the fact that Pakistan will be playing 121 matches in the next four years as per the International Cricket Council (ICC) Future Tours Programme finalised recently.

He criticised the local media for running damaging news items picked up from the Indian media outlets which suggested Pakistan will be playing just 104 matches.

“An old document about the FTP was leaked from India, according to which Pakistan were to play 104 matches in the next four years,” he said.

“The PCB, like other cricket boards is not allowed by the ICC to make any comments about the FTP in public, but to defuse the propaganda we were forced to inform the media about the real facts unofficially,” added the PCB chairman.

“The PCB, in fact, has done a great job to earn 121 matches for the national team in the next four years and most of them are against strong cricketing nations.”

However, Sethi said Pakistan will not accept the FTP if it won the ongoing legal battle against India pending with the ICC dispute resolution committee over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that both the countries signed in 2014 and which ensured Pakistan and India would be playing six bilateral series during 2015-2023.

“If Pakistan wins the case, India will have to give us the matches and for that purpose the FTP will be changed,” said Sethi. “And if we lose, the same FTP with some minor changes may go ahead.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited signed an agreement with the PCB to sponsor the national team for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand in January.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed, prolific middle-order batsman Babar Azam and opener Fakhar Zaman were also present on the occasion.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Another day, another threat from PCB.

 

[navin]

Pakistan reserves the right to pull out of Asia Cup next year, Sethi warns BCCI

Pakistan reserves the right to pull out of Asia Cup next year, Sethi warns BCCI
The Newspaper's Sports ReporterUpdated December 27, 2017
8

LAHORE: India’s objection over Pakistan hosting the 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup might force the latter to exercise its ‘right’ to pull out of the Asia Cup which will be staged in India in September next year, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi warned on Tuesday.

Representatives from India and Bangladesh were absent during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Lahore in October after they raised their aforementioned objections in a meeting earlier in Dubai which led to the decision that Pakistan will host the Emerging Teams Asia Cup in April 2018.

“The ACC Development Committee head and Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Thilanga Sumathipala tried to convince India and Bangladesh that they were also invited to attend the meeting [in Lahore] but they did not come. So the committee, with majority members’ votes, went on to make the decision in favour of Pakistan,” said Sethi at the national team’s new kit unveiling ceremony here.

“I also raised the point that since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaiting an approval from the government to hold the Asia Cup and wants the visa clearance of all the participating teams, the PCB will decide whether to go to India or not because we are also bound by our government’s clearance,” he added.

“Over this situation, all the member countries decided to defer the discussion and take a final decision later.”

The PCB chairman admitted that the longer format of the game is struggling to attract sponsors which was evident when the PCB’s Board of Governors suggested in a meeting that the country’s premier first-class competition Quaid-i-Azam Trophy be discontinued.

However, Sethi believed the traditional format shall be adhered with whether it attracts any sponsors or not. “Representatives from four regions and well-reputed departments are a part of the BoG, but none of them could offer the sponsorship for the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy,” he said.

“But the fact is that the PCB has to invest on the Trophy, even if no sponsors come forward.”

He expressed delight at the fact that Pakistan will be playing 121 matches in the next four years as per the International Cricket Council (ICC) Future Tours Programme finalised recently.

He criticised the local media for running damaging news items picked up from the Indian media outlets which suggested Pakistan will be playing just 104 matches.

“An old document about the FTP was leaked from India, according to which Pakistan were to play 104 matches in the next four years,” he said.

“The PCB, like other cricket boards is not allowed by the ICC to make any comments about the FTP in public, but to defuse the propaganda we were forced to inform the media about the real facts unofficially,” added the PCB chairman.

“The PCB, in fact, has done a great job to earn 121 matches for the national team in the next four years and most of them are against strong cricketing nations.”

However, Sethi said Pakistan will not accept the FTP if it won the ongoing legal battle against India pending with the ICC dispute resolution committee over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that both the countries signed in 2014 and which ensured Pakistan and India would be playing six bilateral series during 2015-2023.

“If Pakistan wins the case, India will have to give us the matches and for that purpose the FTP will be changed,” said Sethi. “And if we lose, the same FTP with some minor changes may go ahead.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited signed an agreement with the PCB to sponsor the national team for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand in January.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed, prolific middle-order batsman Babar Azam and opener Fakhar Zaman were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2017

https://www.dawn.com/news/1379026/p...ll-out-of-asia-cup-next-year-sethi-warns-bcci

 

[Abdullah719]

Sethi asks ex-players to shun differences for sake of cricket

LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi Monday said it was his responsibility to safeguard the interests of cricket and cricketers.

He said he respected all the cricketers and asked the ex-players to shun their differences with the board and come forward for the betterment of the game. Sethi said he wanted to take the former cricketers on board in the best possible fashion and the Board’s doors were open to all.

“I am at the service of all those who want to work for the betterment of the game and want to transfer their expertise to the youth. We will hire their services at a suitable time and venue.”

He expressed his desire to sort out the differences with the players through dialogue rather than going to courts and the money should be spent for the welfare of the cricketers instead of wasting money on legal proceedings.

He said if the board could spend money on hiring the services of the foreigners then it could do the same too to its own people.

But Sethi made it clear that the former players should also have to show the intent and do the job as the board cannot pay to some former cricketer equivalent to a coach or selector just for his namesake while he sat idle at his home.

He said that it was quite an injustice that if the board did not fulfill the wishes of some individual or persons with specific mindset, they started hurling allegations at the board.

Sethi said the PCB would take steps to safeguard the interests of the national cricket at every level. The PCB chief said his doors were open for every former player who wanted to take up responsibility practically in the field.

Sethi said the board also scrutinised the performances of former coaches and the every individual who gave performance that was evident from his results.

“I invite everyone to put aside all the differences and come forward to work together for a game that is passion of the Pakistani nation.”

Sethi said the board was fighting for the survival of the game in the country as Pakistan needed more international cricket at its home grounds.

“We were successful in revival of international cricket in Pakistan and hopefully the next year too we will be more successful in this objective.”

Sethi said he was performing his duty with just one aim and that is to serve for the Pakistan cricket and he has no personal goals or ambitions being at the helm of the affairs of the PCB.

He said he wanted run this most popular sports of the country in a professional manner and vowed to provide equal opportunities to the any talented player in any nook or corner of the country. The PCB said he wanted to strengthen the basic structure of the game and present the Pakistani talent to the world. Sethi said the success of Pakistan Super League was the success of the people of the country.

He said everyone had doubted if we could hold the PSL or could bring the international cricket to Pakistan but we achieved both these targets and it would help the Pakistan in a great way.

He said his aim and mission is only that the sons and daughters of our country get better chances to showcase their talent.

He even went on to say that he was writing new history of Pakistan cricket and securing its future.

“We were isolated in the cricketing world and now we are re-connecting to them again. The leg-pullers should refrain from their antics and instead should join us as we want to develop a strong and transparent system. I appreciate those who identify our mistakes. Today the players like Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Yasir Shah, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail and others are creating waves at international level and getting due recognition. I think it is our achievement to bring forward such a hidden talent.”

http://nation.com.pk/31-Dec-2017/sethi-asks-ex-players-to-shun-differences-for-sake-of-cricket

 

[CanadianG00se]

Asia cup should be moved from India to either BD or Sri Lanka. This way PCB wouldn’t have to worry about safety of their players and staff, and also BCCI wouldn’t have to worry about providing extra security to Pakistani team. Its a win-win stiuation. As far as Emerging cup goes, well its pointless tournament anyways and if it helps PCB to bring back international matches back home then BCCI should just boycott the tournament and allow PCB to host it. But we might see ‘*** for Tat’ like situation where BCCI will pull out of emerging cup and in return PCB will pull out of Asia cup. Both these tournaments will end up moving to BD/Sri Lanka.

 

[Savak]

Sethi is the man. Should continue to be aggressive against the BCCI Tyson style.

 

[KevinFern]

Thank you Najam Sethi for helping out BCCI. If there's anything stopping bcci from getting the government approval for the Asia Cup, it's the presence of Pakistan. Now with the help of Najam Bhai, BCCI can finally get the government nod to hold the Asia Cup minus Pakistan.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Cricket is such a global sport with abundance of quality teams that it hardly matters if few teams don't play each other.

 

[PakLFC]

No one cares about the Asia Cup. It is a meaningless tournament.

 

[Major]

what is bangladesh's problem?

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

what is bangladesh's problem?

I really don't understand. Its like they can't think for themselves.

 

[pakistani pride]

Focus should be on playing more Test cricket to develop players who can replace the likes of Younis and Misbah.

7 years of Test cricket for Azhar and just 62 matches despite not missing many due to injuries or other reasons. Ideally it should have been 80+ easily had they played more.

Too much emphasis on getting more ODI and T20 matches shows how little bothered Pakistan are of playing Test cricket.

LOL if anything we will only play fewer tests.
Test cricket is done and dusted.

 

[cricketjoshila]

what is bangladesh's problem?

I think they have security issues.

 

[cricketjoshila]

I really don't understand. Its like they can't think for themselves.

They cant but you can?

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Pulling out of it is exactly what India wants us to do

 

[BD-fan]

what is bangladesh's problem?

I don't think we have any series with Ind in the new FTP. Home or away. No denying the facts. Ind series makes money. So may be we can get a off the FTP short series or in the next FTP we get a favorable deal? I don't know. Just guessing for the board.

 

[English August]

First of all, this stupid Asia Cup should be canceled. Who cares about it anyways? And why does BCCI waste its time playing against nothing teams?

If it does go ahead, it should be moved to BD or SL. Let them make some money due to India's participation. That way BCCI can continue to wield its influence over these weak boards.

Finally, Pak is most welcome to boycott whichever tournament it wants. It can continue digging its own grave.

 

[todfod 11]

yeah just go ahead and pull out... Let i dia play afghanistan lanka and bongladesh. Asia cups value is only because of Idia Pakistan match. Ig pakistan is suffering let every one suffer. One just One Asia cup If pakistan doesnt play this cup will die and if this is so let it be this way.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

I don't think we have any series with Ind in the new FTP. Home or away. No denying the facts. Ind series makes money. So may be we can get a off the FTP short series or in the next FTP we get a favorable deal? I don't know. Just guessing for the board.

We have a Test series with them in the new FTP.

 

[Mamoon]

Empty threat by an empty cricket board. Beggars can't be choosers. BCCI probably laughs when PCB tries to make itself sound relevant.

 

[Cricfan4eva]

I still feel they should just move it to a neutral venue especially where cricket needs popularity. You will do away with all this hosting drama.

Asia cup should be moved from India to either BD or Sri Lanka. This way PCB wouldn’t have to worry about safety of their players and staff, and also BCCI wouldn’t have to worry about providing extra security to Pakistani team. Its a win-win stiuation. As far as Emerging cup goes, well its pointless tournament anyways and if it helps PCB to bring back international matches back home then BCCI should just boycott the tournament and allow PCB to host it. But we might see ‘*** for Tat’ like situation where BCCI will pull out of emerging cup and in return PCB will pull out of Asia cup. Both these tournaments will end up moving to BD/Sri Lanka.

lol the bias here is so strong.

India should let go of Asia cup, because apparantly Pak players are threatened in India? (Lol)

Pakistan should keep emerging cup even if India boycotts.

 

[MenInG]

Empty threat by an empty cricket board. Beggars can't be choosers. BCCI probably laughs when PCB tries to make itself sound relevant.

Wow for someone who is so happy with Sethi etc, I see a change in tune?