Pakistan Ready to Host International Cricket Again

Bangladesh in Pakistan 2012

Umar Farooq

April 15, 2012

Pakistan is 'ready' for the return of international cricket to the country, after Bangladesh confirmed they would tour for a short limited-overs series at the end of this month. Bangladesh will be the first Full Member of the ICC to tour Pakistan since March 2009.

The teams will play two matches, an ODI and a T20, both at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The ODI is scheduled for April 29 and the T20 for April 30

"We are ready to host them," Intikhab Alam, PCB's director for international operations told ESPNcricinfo. "We have world-class stadiums that are always ready to host cricket all year long. Everything is in place so there is no difficulty for us to host them at short notice."

There's been no international cricket in Pakistan since March 2009, after terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus and a van carrying ICC officials to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, on what would have been the third day of the second Test of that tour. Some members of the Sri Lanka contingent and reserve umpire Ahsan Raza sustained injuries, and six security personnel and two civilians were killed.

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi said the security situation in the country had improved over the last three years.

"It's a major breakthrough and I am excited to see Bangladesh touring Pakistan," Afridi told ESPNcricinfo. "It is a much-needed development. Not only will it revive international cricket here, the people in the country will also be entertained.

"Obviously the incident in Lahore (terror attack) was unfortunate but Pakistan has learnt its lessons. I understand the security concerns are up on their minds but things have improved and everything will go well. I have always believed that cricket is a game which keeps a relationship cordial between two countries. All countries should support Pakistan in a time of difficulty."

The PCB, under the chairman Zaka Ashraf, has been keen to revive international cricket in Pakistan, using all its resources and engaging the government to provide full-fledged security to visiting teams. Pakistan have been playing their "home series" in off-shore venues like UAE, New Zealand and England. There's also a plan to "host" Australia in Sri Lanka later this year.

Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, who turned down a county offer to remain home with his family, welcomed the fact that the team will not have to travel outside the country to play this series.

"Playing our home series in Pakistan is always helpful," Ajmal said. "Though we have been playing in similar conditions in UAE, there are so many factors involved that give you the advantage. The news about Bangladesh touring Pakistan is good for players and the country."

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PCB Still Positive About Bangladesh Tour

Pakistan news

Umar Farooq

March 19, 2012

The relationship between the PCB and the BCB is likely to suffer if Bangladesh do not go ahead with the proposed tour to Pakistan in April because of security concerns, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. An implicit deal had been reached by the two boards, according to which the PCB backed BCB president Mustafa Kamal as the nominee for the ICC vice-presidency and Bangladesh would tour Pakistan in 2012.

The ICC executive board is set to consider Kamal's nomination as its next vice-president, and president in 2014 after Alan Isaac's term. And though there have been constant doubts over whether Bangladesh will tour Pakistan, the PCB is optimistic that the drought of international cricket in the country since the terror attacks on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009 will come to an end.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the BCB, despite being satisfied by the proposed security arrangements for the tour to Pakistan, is seeking some support from other countries, but none has been forthcoming. A nine-member delegation, headed by Kamal, had been sent on a two-day visit to Pakistan to observe a demonstration of the security plan for the series, and Kamal had said he was positive about the tour going ahead.

The ICC, however, introduced a special dispensation to be made in exceptional circumstances in order to ensure bilateral series take place even if the ruling body determined it unsafe to appoint its officials for such series. It would allow such series to be manned by "non-neutral match officials."

Kamal then put the future of the tour in doubt by saying, "We won't go if everything doesn't happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match-referees, umpires and all things by the ICC."

While the PCB did not respond to Kamal's comments, a board official said the BCB was being leaned on by another country. "We are informed of a third-country pressure on BCB," a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo. "We understand most of the member boards aren't keen to support our move, but we are very much clear of what would be required to give Bangladesh the confidence to come to Pakistan. And we did exactly what we have to do - we have engaged the government at the superior level to satisfy Bangladesh with the security arrangements."

Since the attacks, Pakistan have played their home bilateral series at offshore venues such as New Zealand, England and the UAE but the PCB saw no commercial advantage in hosting Bangladesh at such venues. The PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, who will be in Dhaka for the end of the Asia Cup, will make a final attempt to allay any doubts Bangladesh might have. The PCB also ruled out the possibility of talks with the BCCI. "There's no use of asking India any further," Ashraf said. "Their board doesn't want to play us and that's clearly understood."

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Bangladesh Tour to Pakistan in Doubt

Bangladesh news

Siddarth Ravindran in Dhaka

March 12, 2012

The uncertainty over whether Bangladesh will tour Pakistan next month and end a three-year drought of international cricket there continues, after BCB president Mustafa Kamal said they would not tour if the ICC did not agree to send their match officials. Several moves over the past two weeks suggested the tour was going to be given the green light. These included a Bangladesh delegation approving the security infrastructure in Pakistan, and the ICC introducing a special dispensation that would allow "non-neutral match officials" for bilateral series in "exceptional circumstances", should it find it unsafe to appoint its officials for a series.

However, Kamal has now said said there was no question of the tour going ahead if the ICC did not provide officials. "We won't go if everything doesn't happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match-referees, umpires and all things by the ICC," he said on Wednesday in Dhaka. "That [allowing officials from the competing teams] means we are not going there because ICC also has responsibility. If they don't take responsibility, then on what basis can I send my players."

The ICC's recommendation to allow bilateral series to continue even though the governing body had security concerns about them had already drawn flak from the Federation of International Cricketers' Association.

Pakistan have not hosted any international matches since a terrorist attack on Sri Lankan players in Lahore three years ago. They have played most of their home matches in the UAE since then, though the PCB has been pushing hard to stage matches in Pakistan.

Kamal said he too wanted international cricket to return to Pakistan.

"I am the president of the BCB and also the president of the Asian Cricket Council, in that sense I have a dual responsibility, and yes I do want cricket to happen in Pakistan but it all depends on many issues - security, the ICC's views and the government's approval. The discussions are on and in a short time we will announce our decision."

Last week, a nine-member delegation from Bangladesh, headed by Kamal, had been given a two-day demonstration of the security plan for the proposed bilateral series next month. After being briefed about the arrangements, the delegation had been satisfied with arrangements in Lahore, and Kamal had been optimistic about the series going ahead.

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