PCB chief confident of reviving home tours

Shaharyar Khan’s visits to India, SL and Bangladesh prove fruitful.

ABU DHABI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said yesterday that tours from second-tier and smaller teams could help revive domestic cricket hit by the fear of terrorist attacks.

Pakistan have not hosted any international cricket since the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009. And, in an initiative to bring about change, Shaharyar said he had visited Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India to lobby for a revival of cricket tours to Pakistan.

"I toured India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and the response was very good," he said.

"The aim of the exercise is to revive the Asian spirit and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are ready to send their U19 teams, women's and 'A' teams to Pakistan."

Shaharyar, a former foreign secretary and a career diplomat, said the process of bringing cricket back to Pakistan would be a gradual one.

"The real objective is to slowly and gradually open the doors for teams to come to Pakistan. I have had several confirmations from Associate countries.

"For me the day is not far off and I will announce it when teams decide to come.”

The PCB chief also said India had given assurances of playing six series in the next eight years, commencing from December 2015.

"I met Indian cricket chief N Srinivasan in Dubai on Sunday and he has said 'come what may, I am committed to the six series' and he has his government's approval," he said

Shaharyar said he has also requested former Indian spinner Bishen Bedi to bring an Indian XI of retired players to play an exhibition match in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.

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