Increased security at stadiums will bring international cricket back to Pakistan: Miandad – Cricket News Update
Former Pakistan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Javed-Miandad-c66580 has stressed the need for increased security at cricket venues in Pakistan, claiming that tighter arrangements will put the Pakistan Cricket Board in a better position to initiate the revival of international cricket
in the country.
“If we do not have adequate security measures at our grounds, no foreign team will visit us in the future and we will be isolated as far cricket is concerned,” he said while speaking to players from the national cricket team and Pakistan Under-19 team at
the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.
“PCB is taking every measure as per the procedure of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.”
Pakistan has been suffering a drought of international cricket since 2009, when the visiting Sri Lankan team were attacked by militants en route to the Gaddafi stadium, resulting in civilian casualties, and leaving several players from the visiting squad
injured.
Since then, the security situation has been deemed too unstable to allow for foreign teams to tour the country. Among the top priorities of the Pakistan Cricket Board is the resumption of international cricket in the country, and chairman Zaka http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashraf-c46397 has
endeavoured to invite several foreign teams for a series in Pakistan, in a bid to convince the international community of the improved security situation.
While a team comprising British university students toured the country earlier this year, and played against the PCB’s U-19 team, the board has been unsuccessful in convincing national teams to visit. Negotiations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board for a
proposed series appeared promising, but the plan was aborted after the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 Supreme Court ruled against the BCB’s decision to send the team on a tour of Pakistan, citing security concerns as the reason behind the decision.
The unfortunate turn of events has left the Men In Green unable to host a series on home soil, instead opting for neutral venues such as the UAE. Hosting series abroad has also taken its toll on the board’s finances, and the PCB has been forced to look for
alternative ways to generate revenue, such as launching a T20 tournament.
Miandad, famous for having been the youngest skipper of the Pakistan national team, stressed that it was the “need of the hour” to work together for the cause of the revival of international cricket in Pakistan.
“... we have suffered a lot owing to the security situation in recent years and we should endeavour to lift our cricket out of this gloom,” he insisted.
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