PCB to examine Asia-Africa matches

The Asia against Africa matches proposed by the newly formed Afro-Asian Cricket Cooperation have yet to meet with the approval of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The fund-raising matches have been scheduled for August, by which time both Sri Lanka and India would have started their seasons.

According to The News, Shaharyar Khan, PCB chairman, said that he would look at the feasibility of the matches once he got to London to attend meetings of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

He was quoted as saying: "We really don't know much about these matches now, so I can't make any commitments at this stage but as a policy the PCB feels that the players need to be given a proper break from the international schedule which is already too hectic."

The ACC and the African Cricket Council had planned to hold the games at Johannesburg and Cape Town, soon after India and Sri Lanka finished a tri-series with West Indies on August 14. India are scheduled to tour Zimbabwe later that month.

According to Syed Ashraful Haq, the ACC chief executive, Durban - home to a substantial Indian community - had been ruled out as a venue because of its inclement weather. Shaharyar, who said that the board was concerned that the players shouldn't play too many exhibition games, also added that he would listen to views from other member countries of the ACC before making a final decision.

The new body, a brainchild of Jagmohan Dalmiya, intends to hold three fund-raising matches each years, with the continental teams chosen by an independent panel of selectors.