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The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) plan to construct a stadium in Islamabad for the 2011 World Cup has run into problems, a Board official said on Monday.

The PCB chose the capital for its new stadium as it does not have an international cricket venue, but the official said the city planners were demanding $5 million (five million US dollars) in leasing charges alone.

Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will co-host the World Cup in 2011. Pakistan will also stage the 2008 International Cricket Council Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. “They (the city planners) are giving us land for the stadium on a long-term lease but the fees they are demanding are exorbitant,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

The PCB, despite being the richest sports body in the country, does not actually own any of the country’s stadiums. Those it has direct administrative control over are on long-term lease. The Pakistan Cricket Board controls stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta while those in Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Faisalabad are managed by the local authorities.

“We want the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to revise their leasing fees. “We will be talking to them to sort out this problem as we want to start the construction soon,” the official said.

“If things don’t work out with the Capital Development Authority then we will have to manage with the existing venues,” he said, adding that the work to upgrade the National Stadium, Karachi would also begin soon.

Source:The News