The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed that International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Greg Barclay and Chief Executive Geoff Allardice are scheduled to visit Pakistan on Tuesday. The two-day trip will involve meetings between Barclay, Allardice, and high-ranking officials of the PCB.
According to a press release issued by the PCB, Barclay and Allardice will arrive in Lahore on Tuesday morning for their historic visit. While Allardice has made regular visits to Pakistan in his previous roles as ICC General Manager – Cricket and later as ICC Chief Executive, this will mark Barclay’s first visit to the country. Barclay’s visit holds significance as he will be the first ICC Chairman to tour Pakistan since 2008 when ICC President Ray Mali visited. Additionally, it will be the first time in almost two decades that the top two ICC officials will jointly visit the Pakistan cricket headquarters.
Prior to this visit, the PCB expressed its dissatisfaction with the ICC’s proposed revenue model. Under the new proposal, India is set to receive 38.5 percent of the revenue share, while England and Australia would receive 6.89 percent and 6.25 percent, respectively. Pakistan, on the other hand, would earn 5.75 percent, primarily through the ICC’s $3 billion media rights deal for 2024-27. The decision on this revenue model will be put to a vote at the upcoming ICC board meeting in June.
PCB Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in determining these figures. Sethi emphasized the need for the ICC to provide detailed explanations of the calculations behind the revenue shares. He stated that unless the ICC addresses these concerns, the PCB will not approve the proposed financial model during the June board meeting.
While acknowledging India’s significant contribution to ICC revenues, Sethi emphasized the importance of a fair and transparent process in determining revenue shares. He recognized India’s deserving share but questioned the methodology used in developing the proposed revenue distribution table.
With the visit of ICC Chairman Barclay and CEO Allardice to Pakistan, the PCB has an opportunity to engage in discussions and address their concerns regarding the revenue model. This visit holds the potential to foster better understanding and cooperation between the PCB and the ICC, ensuring a fair and sustainable future for cricket’s global financial structure.
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