PCB warns FICA against interference – Cricket News Update
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board has hit back at the Federation of International Cricketers' Association for obstructing the board’s attempts to revive international cricket in Pakistan, and has stated that they should not interfere in the matters of the country
they do not represent.
“FICA always has rigid views sitting thousands of miles away,” said the PCB's chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmed. “... we don't recognise and endorse FICA at any level. They should restrict their comments to those countries they represent.”
Pakistan has not hosted a home series since the terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team three years ago. The Men in Green have been forced to adopt UAE as their temporary home for hosting matches, and after the appointment of the new PCB chairman,
Zaka http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashraf-c46397, the board has been busy in attempting to revive international cricket in Pakistan.
Part of this plan is a short limited-overs series with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mustafa-Kamal-c78122, visited Pakistan in order to inspect the venues last week, and expressed satisfaction with the security situation
and arrangements.
“We have made a significant attempt to satisfy Bangladesh's security delegation and obviously our first priority is to provide a safe atmosphere for the ICC officials and for the Bangladesh team,” Ahmed said.
The FICA’s chief executive, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Timothy-Brian-Alexander-May-c93981, criticised the ICC for giving the nod of approval to the proposed series, while declining to send its match officials to Pakistan owing to security concerns. This implies that even if the ICC considers a series unsafe,
the countries involved can still proceed at their own risk, and with the ICC’s stamp of approval, but will have to use non-neutral match officials.
May claimed the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 should be discouraging the two nations from proceeding with an “unsafe” series, instead of amending rules in order to give them official endorsement.
However, Ahmed has retaliated by saying that if the ICC chooses to allow non-neutral officials for the series, and still grant it official recognition, the PCB has no problem with that.
“We are seeking one chance to host an international series and prove that we have the infrastructure and the capability to host a safe series ... The Bangladesh series will be a stepping stone for us,” he concluded.
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