British Universities team to tour Pakistan: PCB – Cricket News Update
In a bid to bring international cricket back to the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board has manage to rope in a British Universities Cricket team, led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Durham-c782 University, to tour Pakistan and play against the PCB’s U19 side.
“They will play two one-day matches at the Gaddafi stadium on the 4th and 6th,” a senior PCB official confirmed.
The tour is part of the PCB’s plan to help the board “create a soft image of Pakistan,” as the board’s director of international cricket, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Intikhab-Alam-c64380 told ESPNCricinfo.
“We were in a bid to bring foreigners to Pakistan,” Alam said. “There is a point to prove and it will make an impact that foreigners are coming to Pakistan and playing cricket.”
“The law and order situation in the country isn't as bad as it is being portrayed. The team are coming next week and will be well taken care of,” he added.
After the recent statement by Marylebone Cricket Club’s president, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richard-Phillip-Hodson-c85275, who claimed that they would prefer sending their team to Afghanistan rather than Pakistan, where the security situation poses too many risks, Pakistan’s attempts to revive
international cricket have taken a further nosedive.
The decision attracted indignant responses from board officials and experts, among them former wicketkeeper and skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Afghanistan-c745 does not even have proper cricket grounds.
Pakistan has been suffering a drought of cricket since boards and players alike are unwilling to visit the Green Nation after the March 2009 attack on the touring Lankan team, which left policemen and civilians dead, and several players from the visiting
team injured.
Despite efforts from the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashraf-c46397, cricket players and fans alike have been repeatedly disappointed. The BCCI has refused to consider the possibility of a series with Pakistan, let
alone one hosted by the Men In Green.
A ray of hope emerged when the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 Cricket Board expressed interest in touring the country earlier this year, and even sent a delegation which approved the security situation in Pakistan. However, following the ICC’s refusal to send their match officials
to Pakistan, the BCB has also begun to express hesitation regarding the proposed series.
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