ICC says `no` to PCB on T20 matches proposal

The ICC has initially rejected Pakistan Cricket Board`s request to allow it to host more than three 20 matches against Australia in August-September.

Lahore : The ICC has initially rejected Pakistan Cricket Board`s request to allow it to host more than three T20 matches against Australia in August-September.

The ICC has advised the PCB to take up the issue for discussion at the Chief Executive`s meeting to be held in Kuala Lumpur at the end of June. "We had requested the ICC to allow us organise a series of more than three T20 matches against Australia in the coming series but the ICC instead has advised us that this matter should be discussed at the Chief Executive meeting," PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said. The idea to convert the ODI series into a full-fledged T20 series came after the Emirates Board offered to host the series for Pakistan but suggested that due to the weather conditions and holy month of Ramazan, Pakistan and Australia should just play a series of six to seven T20 internationals. The PCB is yet to decide on the neutral venue for the series after the Australians refused to play in Pakistan due to security concerns. Ahmed said the PCB`s head of international cricket operations Intikhab Alam was in Malaysia to inspect the two grounds in Kuala Lumpur and would also visit the UAR from Thursday. "Once Intikhab submits his report on the ground conditions in both countries we will decide where to hold the Australia series. But one problem we face in organising the series in Kuala Lumpur is that in August the forecast is for 17 days of rain and that could spoil our series," Ahmed said. The PCB official hinted UAE appeared to be the best bet to hold the series which would be begin after Ramazan ends around August 20th. "We have to hold the series in a period from August 20 to September 11 as the team has to reach Sri Lanka for the ICC T20 World Cup by the 13th," he said. The ICC has advised all cricket boards to submit their preliminary list of 30 players for the World Cup by end of June. No Test playing nation has visited Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009, killing six Pakistani policemen and a van driver apart from wounding some of the visiting players. Pakistan since then has played most of its home series in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. PTI