Former PCB chief Ehsan Mani Blasts ICC For Increasing BCCI’s Revenue Share Amid Asia Cup 2023 Controversy

Lahore: While the Asia Cup 2023 controversy is hogging all the limelight, former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ehsan Mani has made a strong allegation against the International Cricket Council. As per Mani, the ICC is prioritizing and increasing BCCI’s revenue share. For the period 2024-27, India is set to receive a whopping revenue share from the ICC media rights which is worth $ 3 billion. BCCI will receive 38.5% of the net surplus from ICC, which is way more higher than the 22% it received in the current deal 2015-23.

“The (proposed revenue distribution model) will be giving the most money to the country that needs it the least, which makes no sense,” Mani, who was ICC president from 2003-06 and stepped down from the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2021, told Forbes in an exclusive interview.

“It only takes one downturn in an economic cycle for the ICC members to be affected. There is far too much reliance on India. If the ICC wants a truly global game and diversifies its financial reliance, the country to develop is the US I would have put $20-30 million into the US You also need to grow the game in Africa, that’s the future,” he said.

“I think the global game (Associates) should have been allocated at least 30% (instead of 11%). That’s the only way to globalize the game,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, a desperate PCB has submitted three proposals to retain ODI Asia Cup hosting rights. However, it’s BCCI secretary Jay Shah who is playing hardball. Being the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), he has a lot of say in the matter and a decision on that is unlikely to be in Pakistan’s favour.