Pakistan Premier League to be held in October: Zaka Ashraf

ICC agrees to send officials to Pakistan. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf  announced that the Pakistan Premier League will be held in October, Express News reported. 

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday Ashraf also said that ICC has agreed upon sending its officials and referees to Pakistan, a move which comes after the ICC meeting held in Dubai.

“I thank the ICC Board for the way they appreciated the revival of cricket and approved of it,” he said.

Another announcement Ashraf made during the talk with media was that the Bangladesh cricket team will come to Pakistan on April 28. “I am sure the Bangladesh tour will break the ice,” he added.

Ashraf also said that Pakistan is now a safe place to play cricket in, adding that terrorism was at its peak in 2009 but this was not so now.

“The situation is not like it was in 2009. Since cricket was suspended in Pakistan our grounds were left deserted but things have improved and I hope more teams will come after the Bangladesh team’s tour,” he stated.

“Times have changed,” said Ashraf, adding that the university teams from England who came to Pakistan did not face any threats and gave positive feedback after returning home.

He applauded the efforts of the Punjab government and police as well as the role of the media in this regard. “Pakistan is a safe place to play cricket in,” he said.

Earlier, Bangladesh confirmed that they will tour the country for a One-Day International (ODI) and one Twenty20 match at the end of this month.

The ODI is slated for April 29 with the Twenty20 taking place the next day — both matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

“I’m pleased to confirm this visit today,” said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Mustafa Kamal in a statement. “I know how important it is for the PCB to revive cricket in their country. This short visit will demonstrate to the world that cricket should resume in Pakistan.”

Bangladesh will be the first Test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since a gun attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009 ended their ongoing tour.

Since then, Pakistan has played its home series on neutral venues and was also stripped of the rights to co-host last year’s World Cup.

Afghanistan, International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Associate Member, was the only side to play in Pakistan during the period.