Cricket: Pakistan was offered \\\'Big Four\\\' role
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Pakistan's cricket chief Najam Sethi has said his predecessor spurned an offer by India to join the so-called "big three" during a major reorganisation of the game's administration. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was initially one of three countries which opposed the revamp of the International Cricket Council (ICC) approved by members in February. The move handed the majority of the powers and revenues to the "big three" of the game -- India, Australia and England. Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstained from voting on the reforms, but since then Sri Lanka have hinted they will sign the draft. Sethi, who will attend the ICC meeting in Dubai on April 9-10, said Pakistan were offered a seat at the table but declined. "The big three of the ICC had invited Pakistan to be part of a 'big four' plan but the administration under former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf refused the offer, to the detriment of the country," Sethi said as he was preparing to leave late Monday, according to AFP.