Pakistan keen for Zimbabwe resolution

Pakistan cricket authorities are concerned over the existing deadlock in Zimbabwe cricket and will press for a detailed discussion on this issue at the emergency meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai next month.

Shaharyar Khan, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told The News on Wednesday that the concern stemmed from the fact that Zimbabwe were due to tour Pakistan next season.

"The situation there (in Zimbabwe) is alarming and if it persists like this then who is going to play for them? Because all their players have refused to play under the present set-up," Shaharyar said. "We need to resolve this crisis as soon as possible because the situation in Zimbabwe obviously affects the Future Tours Programme (FTP) of the ICC."

The ICC has constantly said it would only interfere in the Zimbabwe cricket crisis if asked to do so by that country's cricket administration. The ICC has constantly maintained the crisis in Zimbabwe cricket is purely an internal matter of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) and they were best equipped to sort it out themselves.

Ironically, the movement by the players and provincial cricket bodies in Zimbabwe is being led against two senior ZCU officials - President Peter Chingoka and Managing Director Ozais Bvute - who, their detractors say, have destroyed the game in Zimbabwe and are involved in alleged misuse of funds.

Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe captain, resigned last month and refused to continue to play for the national team followed by other players who say they will not play for the country unless the ZCU officials are removed and face an independent inquiry.

Shaharyar said the situation in Zimbabwe was alarming for other ICC members as well and would figure prominently in next month's meeting to be attended by the heads of all full member boards and other important figures.

"I think even the ICC now wants to move forward on this issue and tackle it urgently. How they do that will be discussed at the meeting. But we want to know where Zimbabwe cricket will stand in the next eight to ten months because they are due to tour Pakistan in September next year. We've to look at alternate arrangements in a crisis situation," he added. Shaharyar also added Pakistan would back any proposal for the ICC to step in and resolve the crisis.

He said another pressing issue to be discussed at the meeting is the concern of the ICC and member countries that its finances will be seriously reduced as a result of a decision by the Indian government to force the BCCI to make private companies share TV broadcasts.

"Obviously the members of the ICC stand to lose out on a lot of money going by the Indian government's decision. The smaller cricket boards might not even be able to survive without support and revenue from the ICC whose main earnings come from sale of television rights."

Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, the Indian minister responsible for broadcasting has ordered that sports channels having TV broadcasting rights shall, with immediate effect, share their feed with (state-run) Prasar Bharti for national and international sporting events held in India or abroad. In case of cricket events, these shall include all matches featuring India and the semifinals and final of international competitions. The ICC is likely to send a letter to the minister in charge of broadcasting asking him to review the decision.