PCB makes new terms for deal with IMG

Karachi, Aug 17: As the fate of next month's Toronto series hangs in the balance, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) laid down fresh demands for the revival of the contract with International Management Group (IMG).

A spokesman of the PCB said this was the last year of the five-year agreement between PCB and IMG and if the organizers were keen to extend the contract, fresh negotiations will have to take place.

He said the PCB would agree to play in Toronto in future if the organizers doubled its appearance money from half-a-million dollars which it was getting under the present contract.

The spokesman emphasised that whatever the IMG may say, as far as the PCB was concerned, this is the last edition. "I know the contract is for five series' with India in Toronto. But if India doesn't play until 2010, will the contract keep its original shape?

"Besides, the PCB didn't refuse to play India in Toronto. It was India who backed out. So the onus lies on them and not us," the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, a representative of TransWorld international (TWI), television wing of IMG, said on Thursday that an official announcement regarding the Toronto series was expected in the next 48 hours.

He admitted that at the moment, Australia and South Africa have rejected the offers to become the third team. But added that the IMG has approached other Test playing countries.

At the moment, every team is either involved in cricket or is preparing for the future assignment which makes IMG's task of getting a team more difficult. Sri Lanka, one of the favourites who might bail out IMG, will be touring South Africa shortly; New Zealand will play Zimbabwe; England and West Indies are currently engaged in the series which doesn't end until the first week of next month; and Australia have already turned down the proposal.

Meanwhile, website total-cricket.com quoted Sri Lankan cricket board spokesman Chandrasin Perera as saying that his team had the inclination and free time to either replace India or play both India and Pakistan separately.

He, however, said no official invitation has been made by IMG until Thursday.