PCB distances itself from T20 games with World XI

The PCB has distanced itself from the two Twenty20 matches being played between the World XI and Pakistan Stars XI over the weekend. The matches on Saturday and Sunday are being organised by Sindh sports minister, Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, with the help of a private sports management company, Extreme sports. But while the PCB on Monday said that it supports the matches, it made it clear that foolproof security, anti-corruption measures, marketing and broadcasting of the matches remained the responsibility of the organisers. The PCB said in a statement that at a meeting of its executive coordination committee, it wished all success to Shah, and noted that the board had also released players to participate in the matches. “But all other obligations including security, anti-corruption, marketing and broadcasting etc. are direct responsibility of the organiser and were to be managed by him (Shah),” the statement said. Shah told a news conference that by holding the two matches, he hoped to send out a positive message to the cricketing world that it was safe to play in Pakistan. “We are making elaborate arrangements and hope it will help in the revival of international cricket in the country. The response from the people has been overwhelming,” he said.
International cricket has remained suspended in the country since March, 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore, killing six Pakistani policemen and a van driver while injuring five of the visiting players.
No test team has toured Pakistan since then while the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved 2011 World Cup matches away from Pakistan due to security concerns.
Shah said that former Sri Lankan captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, West Indians Ricardo Powell, Steven Taylor, Jermaine Charles Lawson and Adam Sanford and South Africans Justin Kemp, Loots Bosman, Mthandeki Tschabalala, Andre Nel, Andre Johann, Seymore and Nantie Hayward and two Afghanistan players have confirmed their participation.
Former West Indian batsman Alvin Kallicharan will manage the World XI. Shah said that around 5,000 policemen will be deployed to avoid any security lapse and efforts are being made to make the foreign players feel at home.
Pakistan All Stars will be led by current all-rounder Shahid Afridi and include Younis Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz and Imran Nazir.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) welcomed the move but said in a media release that security would be the responsibility of the organisers.