LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to earn substantial revenue from the Champions Trophy matches in the UAE, with more than half of the ticket sales revenue going to Pakistan. A formal written agreement on this is expected soon.
The Champions Trophy would be held from February 19 to March 9.
The Indian cricket team’s matches, who had declined to tour Pakistan, would be played in Dubai. If the Pakistan team reaches the final, they would play 5 matches, 4 if they reach the semi-finals, and 3 if they are eliminated in the first round.
One of these matches will be the much-anticipated Pakistan-India clash on February 23. Initially, the PCB had assigned the hosting of this match to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
The officials had expected the venue to be completely filled with spectators but the Indian board, citing a lack of permission from the government, ruined the plan.
Nevertheless, Pakistan would still benefit from substantial revenue from the matches in the UAE.
A senior official from the PCB revealed that more than half of the ticket sales revenue would go to Pakistan, and an agreement on this has already been reached.
A formal written agreement with the Emirates Cricket Board would be finalized soon.
The Dubai Cricket Stadium has a seating capacity of over 25,000, and in the past, Pakistan-India matches have seen the stadium packed to full capacity.
The same is expected for this series as the Pakistani and Indian residents from the UAE along with the fans from other countries, expected to travel to Dubai.
A large number of fans would also attend the Indian team’s other matches.
The sources said that the ICC would soon release the ticket prices and sales schedule.
If the Indian team advanced to the knockout stages, it could impact Pakistan’s revenue, especially since the final would not be held in Lahore, which might disappoint some fans.
