Pakistan confident of hosting Zimbabwe in May

Pakistan are poised to host top-level international cricket for the first time in six years with a short limited-overs series against Zimbabwe next month.

Pakistan has been forced to play designated 'home' matches in the United Arab Emirates since March 2009 following an attack by militants on a Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore.

However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Shaharyar Khan said he was assured of the tour by Zimbabwe counterpart Wilson Manase on the sidelines of an International Cricket Council meeting in Dubai last week.

"He (Manase) told me they are coming and they are coming with their full team, but for a week," Khan told reporters in Lahore.

"They will send a security team to assess the situation, following which they will confirm the tour.

"So they will come in middle of May and our efforts will be to host matches in Lahore and Karachi."

The matches would have international status and the ICC had also granted Pakistan special dispensation to use local umpires to officiate in them, PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad added.

The Sri Lankans were ambushed while travelling from their hotel to the Gaddafi stadium for a test match, in an attack that left six Pakistani policemen and a van driver dead while some players and a local umpire sustained injuries.

Afghanistan played a couple of low-profile series in the country in the period following the attack while Kenya completed a five-match one-day series against a Pakistan A side in December.  

Efforts to revive international cricket in the country suffered a blow in 2012 when Bangladesh twice refused to tour Pakistan after initially agreeing for short limited over series, citing security fears.

Another limited over series against Ireland was also deferred in September last year after a terror attack on the airport in Karachi that came three months before the tour.

Khan said Zimbabwe would be provided with top-level security during the tour.

It is likely that the team will stay at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, a few metres away from the Gadaffi Stadium, and play all the matches at one venue.

PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said that if the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not agree to send officials then umpires from Pakistan and Zimbabwe will step in.

"We have a special dispensation from them to appoint Pakistani and Zimbabwean umpires and the matches will be of international status," said Ahmed.

Khan said an Australian army team will visit Pakistan from next week, helping to open the doors to international cricket, and a women's team from Bangladesh next month.

The PCB is also in talks with the Netherlands, Ireland and Nepal to send their national teams in the near future.

 

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