PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

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PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has signed a three-year contract worth US$9 million with Dubai Sports City, which will serve as the home venue for Pakistan’s future cricketing commitments after touring teams raised security concerns over travelling to Pakistan.

“Under the recently-signed contract, the Pakistan team will play different events at the offshore venue for three years after the completion of Dubai Cricket Stadium next year ,” said Shafqat Nagmi, the PCB’s chief operating officer, while announcing the deal at a news conference.

Naghmi said the stadium is likely to be completed in February 2009 and will host a tri-series involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in April. For the next two years, the team will be participating in Twenty20 events. According to a senior PCB official, Pakistan will play four Twenty20 matches in that period with the board expected to rake in US$3 million per match for the three-year assignment.

The PCB has already suffered heavy financial losses this year with the postponement of the Champions Trophy and Australia’s refusal to tour Pakistan for a Test series earlier in March-April this year.

Concerns also loomed over the lack of international cricket being played, with only a quadrangular tournament in Toronto involving hosts Canada, Bangladesh and the West Indies scheduled for October, ahead of the home series against India in January 2009.

“It is a lucrative contract which will help in overcoming the loss after postponement of Champions Trophy,” said Naghmi. “Through this deal we will be generating enough funds besides having a definite programme of our team’s participation in international cricket”.

He signed the contract subject to the approval of the incoming chairman of the PCB, the position which remains vacant following the resignation of Nasim Ashraf.

SOURCE: Cricinfo - PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

*I think its a move in the right direction. In my opinion PCB needs to be more realisitc and should start considering neutral venues for Test/ODI series against countries who have a problem touring Pakistan. *

They have to make a choice. Either Pakistan play crappy uncompetitive cricket at home for the next few years or play competitive cricket at neutral venues.

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Re: PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

someone just got $900,000 richer

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Re: PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

I agree with you, it is the best possible option given the sad state of affairs. Pakistani supporters will miss out for a while but god willing things will get better back home and International Cricket will return. Amen!

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:omg:

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The 25,000 seat stadium, which is expandable to 30,000, will have state-of-the-art facilities for players, match officials, VIPs, spectators and the media. It will be one of the most advanced of its kind in the world and the International Cricket Council (ICC), the world-governing body of cricket, has been involved at all stages of the design process to ensure that the stadium meets the relevant specifications for hosting international cricket fixtures

Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium

Ramadan Preps (Housekeeping)
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Re: PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

To save Pakistan cricket and not starve our players from international exposure we should play at neutral venues like this one and Sharjah till conditions in Pakistan improve.

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Yar Pakistani supporters hardly go and watch the games in the stadiums anymore. So most of the fans won't miss alot. Plus PCB doesn't earn much from the gate money anyway, its the sposnsorhip and TV viewership which they target.

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And that is what my question is. Is everything Twenty20/ODI related? I do not see a word about having neutral venue test matches, what about that?

Test cricket is just about dead in Pakistan alongwith the home venues for obvious reasons.

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yeh lay bhai, naraz kyon hota hay :slight_smile:

Hopeless PCB willing to ‘Host’ away from home

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan cricket team has gone 9 months without featuring in a test match. In an attempt to overcome this dearth of test cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to play as hosts, away from home.

Shafqat Naghmi Chief Operating Office PCB said the board might agree to host the planned two-match test series against the West Indies at a neutral venue as the West Indian players have expressed concerns on touring Pakistan.

He also admitted, “After the deadly terrorist attack in Islamabad, the PCB needs to look at its options differently.”

Pakistan had invited the West Indies to tour for two tests after the bilateral three-match one-day series in Abu Dhabi in November.

SOURCE: Hopeless PCB willing to ‘Host’ away from home

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You never know what the latest 'cut' is.

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Re: PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

Mubarak ho, this stadium is being built right next to my house.. So i will be enjoying lots of live cricket then:chai:

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More than likely it will give you pain…

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They do come to watch ODI’s.

Just imagine a mighty chakka by Afridi breaking a window in your house. :eek:

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and free too ? :slight_smile:

Shahid Afridi - The leggie trapped in a slogger's identity
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in smaller cities they do, however it still vary from game to game. In bigger cities, Karachi, Lahore, often the ODI's have less than 50% attendance or sometimes even lower.

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Impressive looking stadium.

Wasn’t there suppose to build a ‘world class’ stadium in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad (source).](http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/248411.html)

The Indian Capital Delhi has already started work on a new stadium which wlll host the 2011 World Cup final. The seating capacity of the stadium will be 150,00 and will include indoor academy etc…

WhT'S uR fAvOuRiTe emOTiOn..
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lol how? i dont think so, i fully intend to attend as many matches as possible.. cant wait for it to open.. i see it uncomplete everyday when i go to university by emirates road… the sports city is right next to arabian ranches…

lol trust me that aint going to happen…

hehe i dont know about that :slight_smile:

flooding ka hai zamana
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When the jokers get hammered.

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Re: PCB signs US$9 million deal with Dubai Sports City

tsk tsk tsk ... almia hay almia

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****Pakistan switches ODIs to Dubai ****

The Pakistan Cricket Board has signed a three-year agreement to play its home one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches at the new Dubai Sports City.

The move comes with teams remaining reluctant to tour Pakistan because of concerns over terrorist attacks.

Pakistan, who have not played any Tests or ODIs against major teams this year have also invited West Indies to play two Test matches in Abu Dhabi.
The Emirate will also host three ODIs against the Windies in November.
Only minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have played in Pakistan in 2008, while their last home Test series was against South Africa in October 2007. The PCB has lost millions of dollars in revenue from the cancellation of matches and believe it is vital for cricket’s financial well-being to make use of the facilities in the Emirates.

Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the PCB, said the new £4.8m deal with Dubai Sports City “gives us the option of playing international cricket and also improves our financial health.”

The new 25,000 stadium in Dubai will initially host a series involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh next April and a series of Twenty20 matches against various teams.

The deal comes after failed attempts by Pakistan to convince teams to tour the country after a spate of bombings in recent months.

Pakistan had sought new opponents after the postponement of a Test tour by Australia and the ICC Champions Trophy, both because of security concerns, but had no takers.

Reuters news agency quoted “informed sources” who suggested the PCB will be paid £800,000 for each event in Dubai, as well as a £53,000 appearance fee to each player for every tournament played.

SOURCE: BBC SPORT | Cricket | International Teams | Pakistan | Pakistan switches ODIs to Dubai