Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has told the Pakistan Senate committee on sports that India’s withdrawal from its proposed tour of Pakistan will cost it $40m. The Indian government refused to allow the tour to go ahead, after blaming the Mumbai terrorist attacks on Pakistan. Butt said the loss will leave the board’s finances in “terrible shape”.
The BBC reports that Butt said the board’s cash reserves had fallen from $42m to $19m in the two years to October 2008, when he became chairman. The PCB was also hit last year by cancellations of a tour by Australia and the ICC Champions Trophy due to be held in Pakistan. Sri Lanka has stepped in to replace India in the window opened by their withdrawal, but the substitute tour will raise only $500,000.
“We suffered a loss of at least $40m, while on the other hand India lost four times more than us,” said Butt, according to the BBC report. “The Sri Lanka series would help us generate just a small amount, but we do hope that the Indian cricket team tours Pakistan in the near future.”
India were due to arrive in Pakistan on 4 January for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match. Sri Lanka’s tour will involve two Tests and three one day internationals.
