Pakistan is anticipating its home grounds to glitter again with international cricket stars once security concerns are addressed in the country.
Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt, has consulted with the Ministry of Interior and has asked them to give a green signal, as far as security is concerned.
Pakistan cricket got a setback when the visiting Sri Lankan team was attacked by the terrorists on the streets of Lahore on March, 3rd 2009. Luckily all Lankan cricketers survived while a couple of them got injured.
International teams left Pakistan and no international cricket team has visited ever since then. Pakistan had to organise its home series in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New Zealand and England to fulfil its international commitments.
"We have asked the interior ministry to give us assurances on security so that we can revive international cricket in Pakistan", Butt said after his meeting with Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, in Islamabad on May 19, 2011.
Afghanistan is the first team to visit Pakistan after March, 2009 to revive international cricket in the country and Butt has assured full security to the visitors, who will play three matches against Pakistan ‘A’.
"We are endeavouring to revive international cricket in Pakistan and the Afghanistan series, although not a big one, will be the step towards that".
"And we will put in place full security", Butt told reporters.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr.Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was invited by his counterpart in India,Mr.Manmohan Singh to witness the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, played between the two countries at Mohali on 30th of March, 2011.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister honoured the invitation and held talks with Prime Minister Manmohan for the revival of cricket between the two countries and he was promised that India’s cricket team will visit Pakistan soon.
Butt anticipates that India’s team will visit Pakistan in the later part of this year, or, early next year, which will be a big boost for the country and will encourage the international teams to follow.
Pakistan will be hosting Sri Lanka in October and England is due to visit them in early 2012 but both the series are subject to security clearances from those countries.
Butt in collaboration with the Interior Ministry is doing his best to make the series against Afghanistan successful, which will encourage the rest of the cricketing world to return to Pakistan.
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