LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is eager to resume international cricket in the country, has to fulfill Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) demands as to gain something, one has to pay for it.
A source in the board has said that the ZCU has demanded the PCB for special financial incentives for its players as the first Test playing nation’s board has managed to convince its players to tour Pakistan for the one-off limited overs series in May on the condition of financial incentives.
The source disclosed the ZCU had demanded the PCB to pay daily allowances and match fees to its players and also paid a reciprocal tour. The series would cost the PCB US Dollars 500,000 and a reciprocal tour to Zimbabwe which the board would decide about in its meeting to be held today (Monday), he said. "We have to see whether the tour by Zimbabwe will be financially and otherwise viable for us now if we have to foot these bills," the source added.
The PCB is keen to host Zimbabwe from around May 20 for three one-day matches and two T20 internationals here in the city as no Test-playing nation has toured the country since March 2009.
The source said the PCB was also upset with the statement from the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) warning the Zimbabwean players not to tour Pakistan as security conditions were not safe for them.
"The tour is not about how much we earn from it but about finally breaking the barrier and getting a Test playing nation to visit and play here but even then we will take a final decision today (Monday) as we have to weigh all pros and cons of the tour," the source added.
Zimbabwe also want a guarantee from Pakistan that they will undertake a return tour sometime in August this year. Ironically, when Pakistan were due to tour Bangladesh they had also demanded a 50 per cent share in revenues from the tour from the host country. The PCB agreed to send its team after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) agreed to pay them US Dollars 325,000 to cover expenses of Pakistan team.
The media reports said that Zimbabwean players had demanded to be paid USD 10,000 for touring Pakistan but Whatmore played a big role in convincing them to be reasonable in their demands. Whatmore remained head coach of Pakistan team for two years before the PCB didn't extend his contract in early 2014.