Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Board of Governors Member and Lahore City Cricket Association President Khawaja Nadeem Ahmad has welcomed the tour of World XI to Pakistan, and two other foreign team including Sri Lanka and West Indies.
“It is a major breakthrough in the right direction and it is going to be a defining moment in Pakistan’s cricket history as three foreign teams will be visiting the country in next three months and by that way international cricket will be returning after a nine-year gap,” he told APP on Monday.
He said that the credit of making efforts for the resumption of international cricket to Pakistan goes to the present regime of the PCB – led by Najam Sethi, who worked hard on it and took trust building measures to convince the cricket playing countries to consider visiting Pakistan.
Nadeem, himself a former first class cricketer, said that the tour of World XI has been made possible with the collective efforts of the PCB and the international cricket council (ICC). “PCB received unprecedented support from the game’s ruling body, the ICC,” he said, adding, “The next three months were of greater significance for Pakistan cricket in view of the visits of three foreign teams.”
PCB BOG member said that successful holding of the final of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League was the ‘game changer’ for Pakistan cricket and Najam Sethi – who was the PSL chairman – at that time put in strenuous efforts to ensure that ICC officials, as well as the officials of different cricket board, watch the final to oversee the arrangements made for the safety and security of the finalists teams.
To a question, he said that the strategy adopted by the PCB worked well and finally the ice was broken with the announcement of tour of World XI next month. “The newly-elected PCB Chairman Najam Sethi is really concerned about the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan and he held special meetings with the ICC officials and different cricket board including Sri Lanka and West Indies on the sidelines of ICC meetings and during other international cricket events and finally got their nod for visiting Pakistan,” said LCCA Chief.
He said that the World XI is a star studded team which has the representation of top notch cricketers of seven countries and its presence in Pakistan will mark the resumption of international cricket on a high note.
“The most important aspect is the successful holding of World XI tour to Pakistan as it will pave the way of the Lankan and Windies teams to visit Pakistan in October and November,” he said, adding, “Lahore will be hub of international cricket activities in coming months and lovers of the game will be watching quality cricket in their own backyard to see a new era of cricket happening in Pakistan.”
