Reports in India have emerged that the Pakistan Cricket Board is looking at alternate countries to stage its ‘home’ matches.
The UAE has been the venue for Pakistan cricket ever since its international exile over security concerns that followed the 2009 Lahore attacks.
The report released by the Press Trust of India suggests that this decision has been influenced by the fact that the PCB is unable to generate substantial revenue by staging games in the UAE.
As a result, Sri Lanka is being looked at as an alternative and could host West Indies’ tour of Pakistan later this year.
“We are discussing the matter within the board and we will also speak to other boards to study the feasibility of such a move but we are looking at moving our home series to Sri Lanka,” an unnamed PCB official confirmed.
The official added that the Sri Lankan board had in the past been receptive when proposals were discussed for Pakistan to host its series there.
Pakistan Cricket Board is considering option of hosting the series against West Indies in Sri Lanka instead of UAE.
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) May 12, 2016
“They were receptive even when there was a chance we might host India in a short last January but the move didn’t materialise,” he said.
It is reported that the PCB had incurred expenses in the millions for paying the ground rent for the Pakistan Super League which was launched in February last year in Dubai and Sharjah.
There were also complications over venues for that inaugural tournament as it clashed with the Masters Champions League that played out across the same two emirates.
PSL organisers have already stated, however, that they have began talks with the Emirates Cricket Board over a return to the UAE this year.
