PCB presents surplus budget after two years thanks to ICC

Lahore, July 8 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has presented a surplus budget for the financial year 2010-11 after a gap of two years.

Talking to reporters after presenting the budget, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said the International Cricket Council (ICC) has released pending funds which has resulted in the surplus budget.

"One reason is the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finally released our share of funds from the organisation of ICC events after we submitted them audited reports of previous budgets and secondly we are curtailing expenses and reducing manpower in the board," The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.

Butt pointed out that the PCB has surplus staff which would be curtailed after getting government's approval.

"In the past the same work being done by a hundred people was being done by around 1200 persons. We have reduced the strength to around 600 now," he said.

Butt also expressed the hope that board's financial condition would improve further once international cricket return to Pakistan and bilateral series with India resumes.

The PCB is hoping to recover huge losses and resurrect its sagging financial condition through India-Pakistan matches, as it has lost millions after several foreign teams refused to tour the country citing security reasons.

India had also cancelled its tour to Pakistan in March 2009 in the wake of November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

When asked about the truth behind media reports regarding Javed Miandad not being happy with him, Butt said : "Media people also have complaints with me, so what can I do." (ANI)