Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf believes that his meeting with the Bangladesh Cricket Board officials will revive international cricket in Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference here at the Gaddafi Stadium after attending the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Singapore and meeting Bangladesh officials recently, Zaka said that the PCB presented its proposal to the ACC members and the Bangladesh board members and are writing to the ACC to hold the next body meeting and the Asia Cup in Pakistan. “Pakistan last organised the ACC meeting in 2008 and the ACC has asked us to give it in writing,” he added.
“The Asia Cup in Pakistan will be decided in the next meeting of the ACC. We want a breakthrough for the revival of international cricket in Pakistan and for that we would be lobbying with all the member countries. We will also help associate members in setting up academies and grooming young players,” he added.
He hoped that the Bangladesh cricket team will tour the country, after the 2009 attacks on Sri Lanka’s side brought international visits to a standstill.
“We want the Bangladeshi team to play even two to three matches to give us a breakthrough which would make way for organinsing several other events. After meeting the BCB official in Dhaka the tour is possible in April next year if the visitors get a security clearance,” he added.
“It’s a great news and we hope that Bangladesh tour us in April next year after getting security clearance from their government,” said Zaka.
“We will give them the best possible security and their security team will visit Pakistan next month. Their delegation will also include their police officials and they will work along with Pakistan official to work out a foolproof arrangement,” he added.
Ashraf also pointed out that Pakistan has supported Afghanistan as the ICC associate member and the PCB and BCB has also agreed to work together for the improvement of the game at all levels.
On the next coach of the Pakistan team, Zaka said that the committee is working on finalizing the best possible coaches for the team in all the departments and nothing has been decided as yet.
“The team management will remain the same for the upcoming England series as retaining Mohsin Khan as coach would also be decided by the committee,” he added.
Over the series against India, he said that it depends on the Indian cricket board to follow the Future Tours Programme and follow the rotation policy. “I would most likely meet the Indian board officials, who stayed away from the ACC meeting in Singapore, during the next ICC meeting and decided the future course,” he said.
To a question, he said that taking the initiative of series against India was his personal task and the chief patron has assigned him with the task of looking after cricket in Pakistan.
He also denied the ICC’s involvement in the non selection of Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal and added the selection committee made the decision as well as barring nine other players from participating in the Bangladesh League.
