PCB may cut expenditures if series with India doesn't happen

The employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board could face the repercussions if Pakistan's planned "home" series against India does not take place in December in the United Arab Emirates.

The PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has been saying if India does not confirm the series, the board will have cut expenditures to remain financially stable.

"Obviously we have estimated that we can generate even by a conservative estimate around USD 50 to 60 million from the series which translates into 500 to 600 crore rupees for us," an official of the PCB told PTI.

"The PCB has been banking on this series to generate surplus funds but if that does not happen then automatically we have to cut expenditures and go for some downsizing," he added.

Shaharyar has confirmed publicly that an outsourced HR firm has recommended reduction and merger of departments and releasing surplus employees.

At present, the PCB has around 900 employees all over Pakistan many of them in well paid positions at the board headquarters and national cricket academy in Lahore.

He said in a recent interview that in the first step the international cricket affairs and domestic cricket affairs departments would be merged into a department of cricket affairs with the positions of Directors presently heading these departments abolished.
Former Test captain Intikhab Alam is currently the domestic cricket director, while Zakir Khan is looking after international cricket affairs.

Sources in the PCB said the department of cricket affairs would be headed by two General Managers and Usman Wahla and Ali Zia are tipped to be given the new responsibilities.
The source said there were recommendations to reduce staff by around 200 people.

"The PCB has a huge payroll and also spends a lot on subsidising domestic cricket (Annually around 60 to 70 crore rupees) besides taxes payments to players and managing the national women's junior and A teams," the source said.

He said that only recently in the new central contracts given to 28 players, the PCB had given considerable pay hikes and other benefits to the cricketers.

Another source said that a lot of expenditure was already being borne by the board on the Pakistan Super League secretariat but it is hopeful this money will be recovered later on when the league is launched next February.

The PCB official admitted that from a financial point of view, the series against India was very significant as the broadcasters five-year contract with the board would have nearly doubled to around USD 150 million.

"If there is no series with India in the contractual period the amount comes down to around USD 80 to 90 million."

The official admitted that at present the PCB was depending heavily on the shares it gets from the ICC revenues from all ICC events.

"With the World T20 scheduled next year, the Champions Trophy in 2017 and then another World T20 and the main World Cup to follow by 2019, the financial forecast is safe but expenditures are only growing," he said. The PCB's money reserves were recently boosted by its share from the World Cup 2015.