ICC bound to reschedule NZC's Pakistan tour

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will press the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reschedule New Zealand's tour to Pakistan which is all but cancelled.

The PCB will be making the claim in next month's executive board meeting of the ICC which has been shifted from Lahore to Kuala Lumpur.

The PCB will be contesting on the point that New Zealand were to undertake a six-week tour to Pakistan in accordance with the 10-year programme which the ICC constituted and released last year.

The objective of the 10-year schedule is to ensure Test cricket is played on equality on home and away basis. Besides, the World Test Championship is also to be decided on points accumulated in the first five years. But it doesn't seem to be the case in the present circumstances. Pakistan toured New Zealand earlier this year and helped New Zealand Cricket (NZC) earn revenues worth millions. In addition to this, New Zealand earned valuable points for the WTC when they played a drawn series. If Pakistan had managed to beat New Zealand at home, they would have earned at least two points which would have helped them improve their world ranking.

The PCB will also be pressurizing the ICC to accommodate New Zealand's tour in the next couple of years because the game's governing body has not kept provision of rescheduling tours in its calendar.

"There is little the two boards can do after the ICC has taken control of the tours by the teams. But besides urging the ICC, the PCB will also discuss the matter with NZC and try to earn their support," insiders in the PCB said.

"If present day cricket is being played according to ICC charter, it is ICC's responsibility to rescheduled a tour if it is cancelled because of reasons beyond the host board's control."

The PCB have expressed willingness to host New Zealand next year between May and August (subject to official cancellation of this year's tour) where there will be no cricket in Pakistan. New Zealand also have an off season. However, it would be an unwise move to host New Zealand in that time frame as Pakistan is to participate in September's ICC knock-out tournament (venue undecided), then host Australia before proceeding on African safari where they will play Tests in South Africa, Kenya and the World Cup in South Africa.

It is time for the ICC to come out of a slumber and make sure that Pakistan doesn't get a raw deal. Needless to say that Pakistan has already lost approximately $15million due to ICC's step-motherly treatment which failed to make its presence felt when India cancelled a scheduled tour to Pakistan earlier this year.

According to the 10-year schedule, India and Pakistan are programmed to cross borders three times each. Pakistan last toured India in 1999 while India's previous Test tour was 12 years ago.