Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf hopes to see the international teams play in Pakistan from next year and the teams will be provided security according to the ICC laid-out plan.
Talking to journalists at Bahawalpur, he said that players having a discipline of highest standards would be the part of the team. He said that national prestige would be supreme and the PCB would not tolerate corruption, indiscipline and bickering in the team.
Zaka said the board was setting up a vigilance division to eliminate match fixing and betting. He said agents of players would have to get clearance from the PCB, adding that it was amending the code of conduct for players and the amended code would be implemented in letter and spirit. The PCB chairman said that he was visiting India and Bangladesh soon on invitations of their cricket boards. He hoped that international cricket would restart in Pakistan from 2012. He added, “Foolproof security will be provided to all visiting teams in Pakistan and the provision of security according to ICC standards is our duty.”
Zaka Ashraf stressed holding a cricket series between Pakistan and India even on a neutral place.
He said, “The PCB is holding receptions for the national cricket team for victory against Sri Lanka in the UAE and women and blind cricket teams to encourage them for their good performance.” PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf will visit India in the second week of December to hold talks with BCCI officials on resumption of bilateral ties cricket between the two countries.
An official in the PCB confirmed that application for a visa had been filed with the Indian High Commission and other travel arrangements were also being made for the visit in second week of December. “The PCB chairman himself is attaching a lot of importance to the visit as it will be an official one that has been encouraged by the Indian board,” the official said.
PCB’s former chairman Ijaz Butt also visited India several times but sources said most of the time he went there to tie up issues with the broadcasters who hold rights to Pakistan cricket and for his own private business.
“Except for the 2011 World Cup semifinal in Mohali Butt didn’t go to India with any formal meeting set up with the Indian board officials,” a reliable source said. He said the BCCI had itself responded positively to a letter sent to them by Ashraf soon after he took charge in late October.
“The BCCI itself has invited Ashraf to visit India and discuss cricket issues including next year’s FTP Pakistan tour to India,” the source said. He said Zaka Ashraf had also got the green signal from the government to hold talks with his Indian counterparts and confirm to them that Pakistan is ready to tour India next year once the itinerary is finalised.
Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in late 2007 when Pakistan went to India and in early 2009 India cancelled a test tour to Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attacks.
International cricket may return to Pakistan by next year: Zaka
