Pak keen to host India for two series: Butt

The snapping of cricket ties with India due to political reasons notwithstanding, Pakistan is still hoping to have at least two series with their neighbours in the next two years.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt said PCB was making hectic efforts to convince India to play at least two series against them before 2012, and if it goes through his board's financial condition could improve.

"If somehow we can manage to get these series organized against India I can tell you we will recover 90 per cent of losses we have suffered in recent times due to cancellation of India's tour to Pakistan and foreign teams avoiding touring Pakistan because of security situation," Butt told a hearing of the Senate standing committee on sports.

Butt claimed that initially India was avoiding scheduling matches against Pakistan but then changed their mind in the new draft of the FTP for the period 2012 and 2020.

India cancelled a scheduled Test tour of Pakistan in early 2009 after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.

The PCB chief also told the Senators that Pakistani players were not bought at this year's IPL auction because its commissioner Lalit Modi had instructed the franchises not to bid for Pakistani players as they posed a security problem for the organisers.

Butt also claimed that the International Cricket Council had initially ignored Pakistan and Bangladesh in the 2012 to 2020 FTP only to make changes later after protests.

"It was on our insistence and strong protest that the ICC and other member countries relented and now have given us a fair share of matches in the new FTP. After we took a strong stand Bangladesh also benefited," Butt said.

He said because the PCB had been forced to organise its 'home' series away from home it had suffered losses.

"We made $800,000 in the home series we played in New Zealand last year and we expect to earn around $3.6 million from the series we play against Australia in England this year," he said.

The PCB has also been criticised for agreeing to a full tour of England this year for just under $4 million as the England and Wales Cricket Board have said in lieu of the tour they will not play Pakistan in 2012 under the scheduled FTP.

Butt also told the Senate hearing that the board was still searching for a new coach - foreign or local - and would finalise the appointment before the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies this year.

"We will also not announce the captain of the team until the inquiry committee has submitted its full report and findings to us after probe into the team's poor show in Australia," he said.