The Pakistan Cricket Board will support Sri Lanka in its bid to host the Asia Cup from August 27 despite civil and political unrest in the island nation. (More Cricket News)
Sri Lanka have managed to successfully host the Australian cricket team without any security breach despite civil unrest after former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country in the midst of a🍸n acute fin🅠ancial crisis.
A PCB source said that chairman Ramiz Raja had spoken to top SLC officials and assured them that Pakistan will push for the Asia Cup to remain in Sri Lanka a😼s scheduled from August 27 to September 11.
"The PCB chairman has assured his counterpart that Pakistan wants Sri Lanka to host th𝔉e regional event as it would mean revenue earnings for the host country and will💮 also boost their tourism," the source said.
The source also said that the PCB had also assured the Sri Lankan cricket authorities that the Pakistan team will play its Test matches in Galle🐻 and Colombo despite the ongoing un𝓡rest in the country.
He informed that although no official ꦉAsian Cric🍃ket Council (ACC) meeting is scheduled in in the coming days, all the members being present during upcoming ICC Board meeting in Birmingham from August 22, will give them a chance to discuss a range of issues including hosting rights for the next Asia Cup in Pakistan.
"Since all the ACC members will be present, there will be d𓃲iscuꦯssions on the sidelines and Pakistan is clear that Sri Lanka must host the Asia Cup unless their board decides otherwise," the source added
෴"Pakistan's point of view is clear that it has a long-standing relationship with Sri Lankan cricket and both have always supported each other in times of need."
Raja to protest against BCCI's demand for bigger IPL window
It is a well-documented fact that Raja, a former Pakistan captain is against BCCI's move to have a dedicated two and half month IPL window in the next FTP calendar starting 2023.
With Pakiജstani players not allowed in the IPL since the Mumbai terror attacks, Raja fe🍌els that there is no reason that he can support BCCI's move.
"Pakistan's stance is clear. Since its playeᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrs are not allowed to play in the IPL nor does BCCI have bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan, what is it going to gain from supporting an extended IPL window," the source questioned.
A country's cricket board gets 10 percent of its player's earningꦇs if he gets a chance to play in the IPL.
"If BCCI pushes for a𓃲n extended IPL window, Ramiz will insist that one country should not be isolated and m♏ade to suffer while other boards get benefits from it."
PCB to rope in Adelaide Oval's head curator
The PCB has appareꦏntly shelved the idea of importing drop-in pitches and has now hired an Australian curator to help in the process of improving its pitches at major i💃nternational venues.
Damien Hough, head curator of Adelaide Oval who is due to reach Lahore on Friday will also be briefing local curators on how to 𒀰prepare day and night Test matches in Pakistan.
Houg🦹h will be in Pakistan for two-weeks and h🦩e will be visiting Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi during his whirlwind tour.
He will inspect the pitches there and also give lectures and briefings to gro꧂undstaff and ✃local curators.
Hough is believed to be one of the worl😼d’s best curators with a 26-year experience.
