ISLAMABAD:
Twenty-20 Skipper Shahid Afridi has requested other international teams to tour Pakistan after the Zimbabwe tour saying Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan should be praised for his efforts in ending the six year drought of international cricket in the country.
Afridi said PCB Chairman should be congratulated as this is a big effort that Zimbabwe team is touring Pakistan and ending the six year drought of international cricket. “It is excellent that cricket is now back. This is a commendable effort by PCB and a massive thanks to Zimbabwe,” he said while talking to a private news channel.
He said he hopes that bigger teams like Australia, South Africa and England will tour Pakistan in the near future. “Zimbabwe tour is just a start of a very good beginning,” he said.
He requested other teams to tour Pakistan if all goes well. “We will have to wait for other teams to tour Pakistan,” he said adding in future, matches should be played in other cities too as all the nation is dying to see international cricket in the country.
He said he is confident that the team will do well against Zimbabwe but we can’t underestimate them. “We have to avail every opportunity and every player has to perform in the matches,” he said.
He said he is satisfied with the squad. “I needed 3 to 4 players who had performed well in the Super 8 Tournament. Then I needed a spinner in absence of Saeed Ajmal and also an all-rounder,” he said.
He said all players will get a chance but 2 to 3 months before the T20I World Cup, we have to finalize the team. Speaking about Muhammad Amir, Afridi said he is a very talented player but it is up to the PCB to select him after his ban ends.
Pakistan and Zimbabwe will play two Twenty-20s and three ODIs. The two T20s will be played on May 22 and May 24 while the three ODIs will be played on May 26, 29 and 31.
