ICC omits Pak skipper from T20 WC ticket sales poster
KARACHI, Dec 13: The Pakistan Cricket Board is unhappy with the International Cricket Council after the global governing body released a promotional poster of next year’s T20 World Cup ticket sales without the country’s captain Salman Ali Agha on it.A reliable source in the PCB said the matter had been taken up with the ICC as the promotional poster featured only five captains – Suryakumar Yadav (India), Aiden Markram (South Africa), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka) and Harry Brook (England).“We faced the same issues when the Asia Cup was held a few months back and that time the broadcasters had started a promotional campaign without our captain featuring in it,” the source said.He said it was only after the PCB spoke to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the situation changed.“We are facing a similar situation this time as the ICC has not projected our captain on the promotional poster for ticket sales,” he added.He said while Pakistan was not in the top five teams in the ICC T20 rankings but it had a rich legacy and remains one of the top draws in the World Cup.He said the PCB was confident that the ICC will have the Pakistan captain on the promotional poster and campaigns. (PTI)
Austrian skier leads 1st run of World Cup giant slalom
VAL D’ISERE (France), Dec 13: Austrian skier Stefan Brennsteiner is poised to add to his breakout season by leading the opening run of a World Cup giant slalom here on Saturday.Brennsteiner stood 0.28 seconds ahead of Henrik Kristoffersen and 0.33 ahead of Timon Haugan.Swiss standout Marco Odermatt was fourth, 0.46 behind.Last month at Copper Mountain, Colorado, Brennsteiner won a giant slalom for his first World Cup victory. At age 34, he has also finished fourth in the other two GS races this season.Including last season, Brennsteiner has finished inside the top 10 in seven consecutive giant slalom races – the longest active streak in the discipline.Brennsteiner’s results could make him a medal contender at the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. (AP)
PCB extends deadline to submit bids for two new PSL teams
KARACHI, Dec 13: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has extended the deadline for investors to buy the two new teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by one week.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that bids now can be submitted until December 22 instead of December 15.He claimed that the interest being shown by prospective investors from United States, UK, Gulf Countries in the two new teams of the PSL was heartening for the board.“The growing interest of foreign investors in the PSL is encouraging and we are waiting to welcome the owners of the two new franchises soon,” Naqvi said.The PCB is also holding a roadshow for the PSL today in New York and will have several Pakistan team members and also their Test captain Shan Masood in attendance.Last Sunday also the PCB had held a PSL roadshow at the Lord’s cricket ground in London, describing it as a major success.But questions are being raised in cricket circles about how much the board has spent on holding these roadshows abroad and why the need to extend deadlines for the bidders of the two new teams.The PCB also had former captains Ramiz Raja and Wasim Akram for the London roadshow and they are expected to also be present today in New York and again the cricket circle is questioning if these two former stalwarts have made themselves available for free? Though the PCB has made no official announcements but apparently it has kept a reserve price of 130 crores PKR for each new team which comes to about 470,000 USD. (PTI)
