PCB left red-faced over compensation claim
Karachi, Oct. 22: The Pakistan Cricket Board has found itself in an embarrassing position over its plans to seek compensation from the BCCI for not honouring the MoU signed between the two countries to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023.
Former chairman Shaharyar Khan left the PCB in an awkward position when he told the media in Lahore this week that Pakistan had a weak case against the BCCI and was unlikely to get compensation.
He said that Pakistan’s case was weak since the MoU contained a clause that all series between the two countries will be subject to government clearance.
The BCCI has constantly maintained that it can’t play Pakistan until its government gives clearance for bilateral cricket.
Ironically it was during Shaharyar’s tenure few months ago that the PCB’s board of governors had approved filing the compensation claim with the ICC’s disputes resolution committee and also seeking $70 million in compensation.
Shaharyar and the board of governers also approved $1 million to cover the legal expenses involved in filing and contesting the case.
Soon after Shaharyar’s comments were carried by the media, the PCB apparently put pressure on the former chairman to change his stance with present chairman Najam Sethi also tweeting a clarification from his predecessor denying that he ever said Pakistan’s case against India was weak.
Shaharyar issued a signed statement in which he said: “I strongly deny a statement attributed to me in the media in which I am supposed to have said that the PCB’s case against the BCCI is weak.”