Sri Lanka likely to host Pakistan’s home series against England in early 2012
The Pakistan Cricket Board is deliberating over Sri Lanka as a venue to host Pakistan’s home series against England, early next year.
The chief operating officer (COO) of Pakistan Cricket Board, Subhan Ahmed, told a leading news agency on Thursday that the board was looking up to their subcontinent cricketing ally, Sri Lanka to host their home series in the 2011-12 season.
"While finalising the venues it http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Peter-Willey-c81951 boil down to the cost factor," said Subhan while talking to the media. "We have got an offer from Sri Lanka to host the series and are looking at it," he added.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also wants the scheduled series to be played at some neutral venue instead of Pakistan, due to the plunging security situation in the country.
No international team has toured Pakistan since http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Steven-Patterson-c2585. Five Sri Lankan players also got injured in the attacks.
As a consequence Pakistan also lost the hosting rights of the recently concluded http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
Pakistan has not hosted even a single international match since then, which is a huge financial loss for the country as well as the board.
The PCB COO said that while deciding on neutral venues, they are also keeping in view the cost factor.
"We are already struggling because of not being able to host any international matches at home," said Subhan. "But we need to carry on our obligations even at neutral venues. But cost is a http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Richard-Griffith-c41953 deciding factor for us," he added.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 (UAE) is also being considered as a potential venue to host the series against England.
"http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 is keen but we have to see where we can get the best sponsors in Sri Lanka or the UAE," the PCB official added.
In the last two years, Pakistan has played its one-day and Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 in United Arab Emirates.
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