KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistan has signed a three-year, $9 million agreement to play its one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches in Dubai, the country's cricket board said on Thursday. The deal with Dubai sports city comes after failed attempts by Pakistan to convince teams to tour the country after a slew of bombings in recent months. Pakistan had sought new opponents after the postponement of a test tour by Australia and the ICC Champions Trophy, both because of security concerns. "We have signed the deal with Dubai sports city," Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told Reuters. "It gives us option of playing international cricket and also improves our financial health." He said the agreement will feature a tri-series in 2009 after construction of the cricket stadium in the Dubai sports city is completed. Informed sources said the PCB will be paid $1.5 million for each event, as well as a $100,000 appearance fee to each player for every tournament played in the emirate. In 2002, Pakistan played West Indies and Australia at neutral venues after the teams refused to tour the South Asian country in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. The West Indies has been invited to go to Pakistan to play two tests immediately after the two teams finish a one-day series in Dubai from Nov. 12-16. However, Naghmi said its players had also expressed security concerns about touring Pakistan.
Source: www.cricbuzz.com
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