Woolmer academy fundraiser unlikely - PCB

The PCB is unlikely to accede to Gill Woolmer's request to play a Twenty20 match against India, to raise funds for a cricket academy Bob Woolmer had planned to set up in South Africa, due to a congested fixture list.

"We got a letter asking us to play a Twenty20 match with India for the academy. But this seems unlikely in the near future," Ehsan Malik, PCB spokesman, told Reuters.

Malik said a packed international schedule for both teams was the reason behind the decision and that the PCB was looking at other means of helping establish the academy. The PCB has dedicated the practice area of its National Cricket Academy in Lahore to Woolmer and named it after him.

A proposal to play a Twenty20 match against England in August was earlier rejected as the England team had prior commitments.

Woolmer died in Jamaica on March 18, a day after Pakistan suffered a shock defeat against Ireland and were knocked out in the first round of the World Cup. His death was investigated as murder until after the tournament when Jamaican authorities u-turned and announced he had died of natural causes.