Pak urges ICC to set compensation procedures

The Pakistan Cricket Board has urged the sport's world governing body to come up with compensation rules after losses they say amount to more than $20 million from India pulling out of matches against their team.

"The ICC's finance committee needs to quickly have a procedure in place for member countries making compensation claims," said PCB chief Tauqir Zia on Friday.

"With Australia also pulling out of its tour to Zimbabwe for security reasons, the finance committee must quickly finalise regulations and a procedure for dealing with compensation claims," he added.

At the last International Cricket Council executive board meeting in Cape Town, Pakistan said it wanted compensation for being forced to play its home series against the West Indies earlier this year at a neutral venue, Sharjah.

"We are working out details for our compensation claim, but first we are waiting for the finance committee to complete their work," Zia said.

Pakistan says it has lost revenues in excess of $20 million since December 2000 after India twice pulled out of matches in Pakistan because of political tension between the two nations.

Hopes of a resumption of matches between the two countries rose last week when Zia met senior Indian sports official Suresh Kalmadi, who described the talks as "very positive".

New Zealand postponed a tour to Pakistan last year in September and West Indies insisted on playing a modified series at a neutral venue in January and February as fighting raged in neighbouring Afghanistan.

New Zealand are due to visit Pakistan for two Tests and three one-day Internationals from 18 April and have agreed to take part in a triangular competition in the country along with Australia in August.

Mail Cricket Editor