Pakistan upset at being ignored in proposed ICC Future Tours Programme

Courtesy: Twitter (@TheRealPCB)

Karachi: Pakistan has expressed its displeasure over the nation getting lower share of matches in the new proposed ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP).

In the new tentative four-year FTP discussed recently at the ICC chief executives meeting in Singapore, Pakistan have been alloted just 28 Tests, the joint-lowest of the established Test sides alongside New Zealand, with only Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland playing fewer games.

In comparison, India play 37 Tests, England play 46 and Australia play 40. Even Bangladesh, still considered as one of the minnows by many, play 35 Tests -- 25 per cent more than Pakistan.

Pakistan has also got just 38 ODIs in the new FTP as it is the lowest of all teams, even lower than that of Afghanistan (41), Zimbabwe (40) and Ireland (42).

India in comparison play 61 ODIs, West Indies which are yet to qualify for the next World Cup play 62 and Sri Lanka play 48.

Pakistan also plays 38 T20Is in the four years, also the joint-lowest of the established Test-playing nations.

Even Ireland play six more T20Is, India play 61, West Indies 55 and New Zealand play 49.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has reiterated that they would only approve the new FTP after the dispute with India over the resumption of bilateral series is resolved.

Sethi said that either India should agree to play bilateral series or pay the compensation of around USD 60 million demanded by Pakistan in the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee.

Former chief executive of PCB Arif Ali Abbasi was upset at the snub Pakistan got in the proposed FTP.

"The reason the ICC is treating the PCB like this is because it doesn't have a proper structure of management nor do they have the required knowledge," he said

"They don't take the right decision at the right time, so challenging the ICC now is of no use, neither will the ICC do anything about it nor will the BCCI go against their government," Abbasi said.

Abbasi felt the ICC are biased against Pakistan.

"They have been wronging Pakistan for a while now," he said.

"It is very shameful that Pakistan has topped the ranking charts in various formats in 2017 and also won the Champions Trophy but still it has been given fewer matches than associate nations."

Sethi felt that it will take eight to nine months for the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee to reach a decision.

"And as the FTP will be implemented from 2019, the game's governing body will have enough time to finalise the FTP after resolving our case," the PCB chief said.