LAHORE: The recently-concluded historic Australia tour of Pakistan not only attracted fans from across the country, but also generated a huge profit for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the Kangaroos toured the country after 23 years.
The tour holds significance as New Zealand and England cancelled their tours and there was a general perception among the cricket fraternity that Australia might also walk back. However, with the constant effort from PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja and board officials, a full-strength Australia side came to Pakistan.
In a video released by the PCB on major platforms, Ramiz Raja has revealed that the recently concluded Australia home tour has given the board a major boost on the commercial side. “Only Australia’s home tour generated profit up to two billion. So, it is a positive sign for us moving forward,” he added.
However, Raja feels that infrastructure is something they need to work on. “We lack infrastructure. Our pitches are not up to the mark. Upcoming international cricket season in the country is massive, and for that, we need to work really hard,” the chairman said.
The former batter also shed light on different aspects and how this tour won’t allow others to unnecessary back out from the tour.
“We have ticked all the boxes during the Australia series; from the security point of view, in terms of quality of cricket and fan engagement, it is a watershed moment for Pakistan cricket,” Ramiz said.
Ramiz also hailed the Men in Green for their performances in recent past which has allowed fans to engage more with the team.
“With good performances in recent past, our cricket team has built confidence in people, giving us new heights on commercial grounds. After our victory against India in T20 World Cup, people took more interest in this game,” he added,
Speaking about PCB’s four-nation Super Series proposal, Raja is confident that this project can bring in revenue for all stakeholders.
“Cricket Australia (CA) has welcomed this initiative; however other three stakeholders – the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the ICC haven’t responded yet,” he revealed.
It must be noted here that West Indies, England and New Zealand are lined up to tour Pakistan later this year.
