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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Tuesday said it would demand compensation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for financial losses in the forthcoming series against the West Indies.

The PCB said it would evaluate the financial position at the end of the series before demanding remuneration.

"I have already written to the ICC that any losses from the off-shore series against the West Indies has to be compensated," chairman of the PCB Lt Gen Tauqir Zia told Dawn from Rawalpindi.

According to an estimation, the PCB stands to lose $3million from the series to be played in Sharjah between Jan 31 and Feb 17.

"The initial feed back from TWI (PCB's broadcasters) is that we would have earned $2million had the series been played in Pakistan. But now we will get something around $1.2million which is a straightforward loss," Tauqir said.

He said he had spoken to ICC chairman Malcolm Gray about the compensation issue in detail.

"The ICC has agreed. But I am not sure in which form they will compensate. It could be in terms of cash or by awarding a limited overs tournament.

"I will fight the compensation case forcefully because tournament or no tournament, I am not willing to bear losses for no fault of ours," the general said.

The PCB boss said since the ICC has allowed neutral venues to be used, he would press for the constitution of a committee to decide if it was safe to avoid off-shore series.

"I agree that there should be an ICC committee to give its judgement whether it was safe to play a series in Pakistan, as in this case," he said.

He said the ICC dispute committee was there to break the deadlock as to which should be the neutral venue. But he added that had there been another ICC body, it could have visited Pakistan before forcing the West Indies to go ahead with the tour as the situation was perfectly normal.

Tauqir admitted that he was disappointed and concerned over the fitness of Wasim Akram. "If senior players like Wasim is breaking down now, I am genuinely concerned what will happen by the time of World Cup."

He said the tour selection committee and the national selectors will monitor Wasim's performance in the one-day series against Bangladesh before deciding if he has to be included for the West Indies matches.

On the appointment of controversial match referee Mike Denness, Tauqir said since Pakistan was not an affected part it would not object against his appointment.

"It's an issue between the ICC and Indian board. I don't want to get involved into it," he said.

© Dawn