BCB's fortunes hinge on Indo-Pak series

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

MULTAN, SEPT. 1. A top official of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) feared that his board would become bankrupt if Pakistan and India would not resume cricketing ties. Ashraf-ul-Haq, director BCB, said on Friday he would condemn India's withdrawal from the Asian Test Championship when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meets in Lahore on October 20 and 21.

``BCB will go bankrupt if India continues to run away from playing Pakistan. Its decision to pull out from the competition has badly affected the budget of the BCB as the profits from the championship would have been invested in the development of the game in Bangladesh,'' he said.

Ashraf said Pakistan and Sri Lanka's boards were likely to survive the huge financial loss as they were rich bodies but said that cricket would `die' in his country as it needed revenues for the improvement of infrastructure.

``We are the newest Test nation and need funds. We don't have the money required to uplift the standard of the game. But if we don't earn money, the sport will die. It would be a tragedy if a Test nation has to face this fate,'' Ashraf said. The BCB official informed that ACC has US$6 million from the profits of last year's ICC knock-out tournament in Kenya, but stressed that it was for the development in associate member countries.

``The ACC can invest that money in Bangladesh but that would be immoral and unethical as that money is for countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal etc. We don't need charity but India needs to show flexibility so that we can earn our due share,'' he said.

The ACC is estimated to suffer a $30million loss after India withdrew from the championship and refused to play it's scheduled opening match against Pakistan in Lahore from September 12-16. The losses are from the title sponsorships and television rights.

Ashraf said BCB had planned a tri-nation one-day series also involving India and Pakistan in December on the eve of Pakistan's two-Test tour to Dhaka to overcome the losses and generate some money through sponsorships and television rights. But he was not sure whether the series would materialize in the present situation.

``Although India has confirmed to play in the competition but there is a possibility of it withdrawing once again and that too at the last moment. Similarly, Pakistan's position is also not clear.

``I think Pakistan will be justified in not playing India in Bangladesh until India tours Pakistan. But the Pakistan board has always been very kind and helpful and Lt Gen Tauiq Zia (chairman of the PCB) understands what will happen to us if events at Asian level were not played,'' he said.

``I sincerely hope that Pakistan will show a big heart as it was the one which proposed us for Test status and supported all the way.''

Ashraf said he would condemn India in the ACC meeting which follows the eight-day ICC executive board's meeting in October in Lahore.

``I can't go there and say India did the right thing. Of course, I will condemn India,'' he said.

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