http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755
International cricket may finally return to Pakistan because Sri Lanka are scheduled to tour the terror-hit country later in 2011.
However, the Chairman Sri Lanka Cricket DS de Silva has clarified that the team would be making the tour only after an approval from the International Cricket Council.
Speaking to the media he said, “We don’t have any issues in touring Pakistan. All we need is a green signal from the ICC. We have some concerns right now but hopefully the situation will improve in the coming days.”
However, the ICC General Manager Dave http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richardson-c85395 has already made it clear that the world’s cricketing body would not be dictating other teams to tour Pakistan.
In a recent statement he said, “It’s up to the Pakistan board to convince international teams about their security and the ICC cannot direct other countries.”
Sri Lanka were hit by a terrorist attack in 2009 when they were en route to Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Their bus came under attack by armed gunmen and seven of their players were left injured in the ambush. However, the driver of the bus managed to drive the
players away from the incident site which also saw eight Pakistani security officials losing their lives.
The series was immediately called off and the visitors were evacuated to their country. The incident served as a final nail in the coffin of international cricket in Pakistan. No foreign team has made a trip to Pakistan ever since the event took place. It
also forced the ICC to strip Pakistan from the rights of the ongoing ICC World Cup, which they were scheduled to host along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has been forced to play home series in a third country and has used the services of England and the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 for this purpose.
Recently, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, Rehman Malik assured the world that the law and order situation in the country had improved and there was no threat to foreign teams anymore.
The ICC and SLC would be keeping a close eye on the events in Pakistan in the coming months to make a final decision regarding the tour.
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