security arrangements improves, in due course senior teams as well,” he said.
Khan, in his second tenure as PCB chief, drew on his experience as a former foreign secretary and built slowly, unlike his predecessors who tried to tempt bigger teams to Pakistan too quickly.
“The idea was to go for what was doable,” he said.
But Zimbabwe have not arrived yet — their security team is due to visit soon to assess the situation — and even small steps to revive home matches have been stymied at the last minute in recent years.
In 2012, Bangladesh twice backed out after agreeing to tour, on both occasions their government declaring that Pakistan was unsafe.
It all means that not only have Pakistani fans been denied any action at home, but also young players have missed out on the chance to groom their skills in familiar conditions.
A new generation of players, including new one-day skipper Azhar Ali and left-arm seamers Junaid Khan and Rahat Ali, has grown up never playing international cricket at home.
Head coach Waqar Younis recently told AFP he feared for the future of Pakistani cricket if the exile carried on.
“No international cricket (at home) has hit Pakistan badly,” Waqar said. “Look at the generation which took up the game in or around 2009 — they have not been able to watch international cricket and a whole lot of players have not played in Pakistan.
“If international cricket is not revived in the next couple of years I fear the game will die down.”
Khan agreed there was “no substitute for cricket at home”.
“The chemistry between the audience in the stands and the players creates an environment which nothing can beat,” he said.
And then there is the psychological strain. Much is made of the stresses put on modern players by long tours abroad, and Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq says it is even worse for his nomadic cricketers.
“I salute my players for showing the mental strength to overcome homesickness,” he said.
“Being away from their families, it’s a really tough ask and this is also affecting our young and upcoming fans and players who don’t get to see international matches.”