Pakistan-WI series from tomorrow: PCB enters partnership with ICC TV

LAHORE: Cricket fans from every corner of the globe will now be able to watch Babar Azam’s side in action against the West Indies as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) enters a partnership with ICC TV.

The partnership - part of the PCB’s efforts to increase its broadcast reach - will allow fans residing in the non-broadcast partner territories (Australia, Mainland Europe, South East Asia and rest of the world, complete list below) to watch the most successful T20I side of the year in action, a PCB spokesman, said on Saturday.

ICC TV is available on web and android and iOS supported mobile devices. The PCB, through its strategic planning, previously signed broadcast deals with Etisalat (Middle-East and North Africa), Flow Sports (Caribbean), Sky NZ (New Zealand), Sky Sports (United Kingdom), Sony (South Asia outside Pakistan), Super Sports (Sub-Saharan Africa) and Willow TV (North America) to broadcast home international season and the HBL Pakistan Super League till 2023.

Pakistan and West Indies will lock horns in three T20Is and three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs from December 13-22 at the iconic National Stadium, Karachi.

Pakistan, for the first time in history, won all group matches in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to secure a semi-final berth, where they lost to eventual winners Australia following a thrilling contest. They then outclassed Bangladesh on their home in both the shortest and longest formats of the game, which also saw them gain 24 crucial ICC World Test Championship points.

Moreover, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ramiz Raja in an interview said, “The Pakistan team has displayed wonderful cricket in Bangladesh, and I want to congratulate them for that.”

“We must appreciate Pakistan for not losing the focus after the T20 World Cup and for their swift shift from the T20 to Test format. In the end, the results were outstanding. The dressing room atmosphere is good and everyone is playing for Pakistan in this side,” Raja said.

He said, “We want to make school and club cricket competitive as they are artery of cricket in the country. Our bowlers cannot bowl with spikes in these two formats, so I have spoken with the manufactures in the UK for hybrid pitches and we will lay a web of such wickets in the country.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021