Bet365 took bets on the PSL matches throughout the tournament and the PCB was not aware of this.
In an embarrassing situation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (March 24) accepted that the streaming rights of PSL 2020 matches had been sold to a UK-based betting company by its global media partner.
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The global media right partner which fetched the international steaming rights is ITW which in turn sold it to ‘bet365’ for live streaming rights outside Pakistan.
Even though the PCB explained that as soon as the matter came to its notice, it immediately took it up with the media rights partner. But former cricketers and pundits are not quite satisfied with PCB’s justification given that ‘bet365’ took bets on PSL games throughout the tournament and the board was not aware of this.
“I am surprised the PCB was unaware that its global media right partner had sold the international streaming rights onwards to a betting company,” former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif quoted as saying by PTI.
The PCB tried to explain its position by dismissing the claims that it had entered into, or allowed any of its commercial partners to enter into, any contract or agreement for betting rights with any entity.
“The facts are that the PSL’s live-streaming rights outside Pakistan were granted pursuant to an international tender to an international company for three PSL editions 2019 to 2021. The global media rights partner without following the due approval process, awarded the live-streaming rights to a betting company,” it said.
(With PTI inputs)