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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is negotiating with at least four multinational companies to secure sponsorship for two series next year.

Yawar Saeed, interim marketing consultant of the PCB, said Wednesday that the year 2002 was a busy one with West Indies, New Zealand and Australia all set to tour Pakistan.

"The series against the West Indies is the most important and we are close to striking a deal with the sponsors," said Yawar who did not identify who the sponsors were.

The West Indies arrive in Pakistan in late January on a 43- day tour that will see them play three Tests and as many one-day International matches.

"There's little time left before the West Indies arrive so we have to close the deal as quickly as possible so as to give the sponsors some time to make preparations for the series."

"The PCB policy is to ensure that whatever deals are sealed are beneficial to both parties," he said who is also the manager of the Pakistan team. "We sincerely want that the companies which earn the sponsorship rights get proper mileage."

The PCB official said that out of the three series in 2002, one will go to Pepsi, with whom the PCB is currently under contract.

After Yawar does the initial spadework, proposals will be put before a PCB committee which would then finalise them for the chairman of the Board, Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia.

The committee constituted for giving a final shape to proposals comprises PCB's legal adviser Asghar Haider, treasurer Muhammad Naeem, Director Brig Munawwar Rana and Yawar himself.

Yawar added that the sponsorship deals would be for the entire tour including the title sponsorship.

In recent months the PCB has had to suffer massive financial losses following the refusal by India to come down to Lahore for a match of the Asian Test Championship and then a decision by New Zealand not to tour last September.

A sponsorship agreement worth Rs 10.1 million had been signed for the New Zealand series which had three Tests and three one-day Internationals. "We are now trying to improve on that figure."

© Dawn