The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the national cricket team will visit Bangladesh in December-January for a full-fledged tour. “The tour is part of the Future Tours Program and we will be playing Tests, ODIs and T20 matches on the tour to Bangladesh,” a senior PCB official said.
Relations between the Pakistan and Bangladesh boards turned sour after militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009. After the attack, the Bangladesh board withdrew an invitation to host the Pakistan team for a one-day series and later did not support them when the ICC moved the World Cup matches from Pakistan on security grounds.
Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ijaz Butt did not take kindly to Bangladesh refusing to host Pakistan for the ODI series and not supporting them in their bid to keep their World Cup matches at home.
In a documented incident, Butt had an exchange of words with officials of the Bangladesh board during and after an ICC meeting at which it was ultimately decided that Pakistan would not host any World Cup matches.
But sources confirmed that the Bangladesh board had been striving to break the ice and normalise relations for some months now. “The series that will begin in December has given a good opportunity for both boards to normalise relations and remove misunderstandings,” one source said.
A PCB official, who declined to be named, said Pakistan would tour Bangladesh after they play Sri Lanka in a full series in October-November, either at home or at a neutral venue. “We are due to tour Bangladesh and we will do that as it is an important one for both the countries,” the official said.
Bangladesh and Pakistan last played a bilateral series in early 2008 when Bangladesh toured Pakistan for a one-day series. The official said that immediately after the tour to Bangladesh, Pakistan team is also due to tour India under the FTP to play a full Test series. “As far as PCB is concerned both tours are on,” the official said.
