Pakistan Cricket Team Faces Embarrassment As UK-based Company Threatens To Seize Their Assets

Pakistan cricket team might find itself in an awkward and embarrassing situation in the coming days as a UK-based company, Broadsheet LLC, has threatened to seize the assets of the team. The company has threatened to take the action after winning the arbitration case against the state of Pakistan and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The company has already sought court orders instructing professional bailiffs “to seize the assets of the Pakistani cricket team” and their action will commence soon. Pakistan players are currently in England for the Test and T20I series which can make things easier for the company.

In a letter sent to Islamabad’s counsel, Allen & Overy, the company has argued that the state of Pakistan and NAB have failed to pay the award money it owes, more than 33 million dollars. On top of that they have also refused to engage in any such correspondence for months.

Pakistan T20I players doing the hard yards in the nets at Derby. pic.twitter.com/M7NusJCtLI

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 30, 2020

“The Pakistan cricket team is currently in the UK preparing for a Test series against England,” the letter sent by Broadsheet LLC says according to Pakistani news outlet The News.

“We consider that the team is, by the very nature, an asset of the defendant and that monies due to the team and assets of the team are assets of the defendant to the litigation,” the letter further reads.

In July last year Pakistan lost the case against Broadsheet LLC, as its plea was dismissed by the London High Court. Broadsheet LLC. was hired by the NAB during former President Pervez Musharraf’s regime to investigate hidden assets of over 150 Pakistanis abroad including the Sharif family. The agreement was terminated by the NAB in 2003, after which Pakistan owed damages to the company.

In September, the company reached out to the London High Court for further action towards recovering the award money from Pakistan. Broadsheet hasn’t just threatened to seize the assets of the Pakistan team but also of the Pakistan High Commission building and high commissioner’s house in London as well as the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

England – Pakistan to start on August 5:

Pakistan, who arrived in England on June 28 to quarantine themselves ahead of the bilateral series, will face the hosts in three tests and three T20Is. The first test will be played from Aug. 5-9 at Old Trafford, before the teams head to Southampton for the second (Aug. 13-17) and then third test (Aug. 21-25).

The three T20 matches will be played at Old Trafford, with the opening game scheduled for August 28.

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