President of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has claimed his predecessors paid teams, including the West Indies, exorbitant sums to play matches on the country’s home soil.

In wake of a vicious attack on the team bus of a touring Sri Lanka team, in Lahore, in 2009, the country had been blacklisted as a destination for international cricket.  As a result of opponents refusing to visit Pakistan, the country was forced to use the UAE as a home venue for a decade.

A thaw in relations began five years ago, with teams like Zimbabwe, West Indies, and Sri Lanka among the first to tour the once shunned country.  Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani has, however, claimed that often came at a heavy price.  Mani claimed that prior to him taking charge, in 2018, the board had paid a whopping extra US$25,000 per player to Windies players for a series in Pakistan.  A weakened West Indies team played three T20 international matches in April 2018.  The PCB board boss claimed another team was given $USD 15,000 per player.  Mani insisted things were now back to normal.

  “This PCB regime has not paid anything extra to any player for playing in Pakistan,” told Pakistan news publication Dawn.

“Pakistan hosted Sri Lanka and other teams which was a big boost for Pakistan cricket.”