No international cricket team of repute has visited Pakistan since 2009 when the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in Lahore. Six cricketers were injured in the attack, while six Pakistani policemen lost their lives as they protected the cricketers. Since then, the Pakistan national team has been forced to play all its home-games at neutral locations like the UAE.
Recently, that trend was almost reversed with the Bangladesh national team pledging to visit. However, that plan was scuppered after a Bangladesh court barred the team from visiting Pakistan due to security concerns.
However, despite prevailing security concerns among international teams, players from various British universities recently concluded a weeklong tour which included Lahore as a destination.
Earlier in the year, Pakistan played an exciting tests and one day series with England in the UAE. While Pakistan whitewashed the English in the tests, the visitors returned the favour in the one day series. England then won the three match Twenty20 series 2-1.
COMMENTS (16)
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Its an encouraging sign for Pakistan, we should invite all the board executives to visit Pakistan and see the situation on ground.
I think it's a very positive step. Pakistanis should welcome the team and prove that it is one of the most hospital nations.
@Khan: Say thanks to the free judiciary for no serious sentences & our democratic politicians for spending the battalions of security on their personal security.
Good news for Pakistan - but then again he has little (if any) say in where England's cricket team plays. It's unlikely that Pakistan is going to see any serious international cricket until your perceived as a safer nation.
Hahaha nice joke, move on to next one plz
pakistn are do the focus on ppl if pak success in ppl hope fully international cricket will came insha allha coming soon.i wan't to start cricket in pakistan bequse last time india was tour pak that time all matches are closed shave.pka ground also bettar & also good crowd.ho this was a lovly time time for pak.
i don't know no how is pakistan condition & security but pakistan is safe to sports.last month also pakistan organised domestic cricket t20 & british univesity succsec.so that massege will go to all of team & nation pak are safe country to sports & cricket.
i think icc would like to give a one chance to pakistan.india & pakistan cricket is very very important in both country i want to watch to team play in each & other country.
Have you checked with the English cricket team?
Instead of sending A team the countries like England, Australia, Srilanka, Bangladesh etc can send their B team with senior retired players for friendly matches with our B team or IPL type tournament can be hold in various cities of Pakistan with high security.In this way a confidence will come among teams and Inshallah regular matches will be started in due course time. First of all we will have to prove among the teams that we can manage matches in a decent manner in Pakistan without any mishap.
I think recent bomb blast at Lahore railway station justifies the order of Bangladesh high court that their national team should not visit Pakistan as security situation is still not good here.
@Bunty
You are really a bunty. Brother, we are at the bottom in the list of third world countries, please come out of the world of fanaticism!
@Bunty: you can behave that way with coercive India but there it is just not correct to behave that way with other countries (at least not publicly).
This manic effort by Zaka Ashraf is counter productive, He has no idea about diplomatic norms.
Lean forn the British High Commissioner . He has made a staeement to increase goodwill, which is his job.
@Bunty: All that will happen is that trade will go down with these countries.
I think ICC and international cricket authorities should think about this issue seriously because by not sending their teams to Pakistan without looking at the ground reality and despite the full security assurance from Pakistan cricket board and Government, a nation of more than 190 million people is being deprived of something they follow most after religion. ICC and its associates should prevent Pakistan from isolation in the international cricketing arena which will damage the goodwill of international cricket and ICC.
@Bunty: Some people really get shortsighted especially in Pakistan .. Any repeat of Sri Lankan incident and you will have a complete ban for a decade at minimum .. You can not blackmail others to risk their lives and PLAY a game. Please be realistic with what you speak .. Yes the situation might look better than a year and two ago but have we got any of those culprits? How many of wanted leaders behind the bars or been punished? NONE. How hard is it for them to send a dozen people just like before and stage another show?. All of those so called leaders of banned organizations are roaming and staging rallies freely and we are asking others to trust us.. Its really amazing the way we act as a society. Mr Adam's suggestion is really appreciable but reality on the ground is totally different and we must wait at least a couple of years till we know what is going to happen in our neighboring country and how overall outlook will be after 2014. Till then PCB, if wise enough can utilize this hunger for cricket and start Premier League type tournaments to earn revenue and hunt talent. Rest assured nothing is going to finish cricket in the country till then and people would rather be more rigorously interested in watching and playing the game.
you have no idea how far countries go to promote their sports by giving incentives. Pakistan should also provide incentives and put conditions to dealings with India, England, Sri Lanka etc and tell them that they will trade with them more only if they agree to send their cricket team to Pakistan for matches. Only this way cricket can be revived in Pakistan.