PCB hopes to host World XI in September

KARACHI: Pakistan are confident of hosting a World XI in September this year but the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday made it clear that such a tour will only happen if there are no security risks.

While throwing its weight behind the move to resume international cricket in Pakistan, the ICC Board announced following a meeting in Dubai that it was considering plans of bringing bilateral cricket back to Pakistan.

“The ICC Board has considered an update following the ICC delegation to the PSL final in Lahore as part of its commitment to support the return of international bilateral cricket to Pakistan as long as it is safe for players, officials, media and fans,” the ICC said in a statement.

“The feasibility of further matches in Pakistan involving a World XI is now being considered from a security and budget perspective,” it added.

Members of the ICC board were briefed on the security situation in Pakistan. According to PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, Giles Clarke, the head of the ICC task force on Pakistan, confirmed that Lahore would host a World XI in September.

“We wanted to share the series between Lahore and Karachi but since the security assessment was focussed on Lahore only, it was decided to restrict the series to Lahore for now,” Shaharyar said. “The presentation about the PSL final was well received and all members understand that the World XI tour will further pave the way for major international cricket in the country. They were supportive overall and we are looking forward to host some of the top players of the world.”

With the exception of Zimbabwe, no international nation has toured Pakistan since a terrorist attack on a Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.

Pakistan has been forced to play most of its “home” games in the United Arab Emirates after gunmen fired on a bus carrying Sri Lanka’s cricket team in 2009 with rifles, grenades and rockets, wounding six players and a British coach, and killing eight Pakistanis.

But the successful staging of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore in March has boosted long-held hopes of bringing the sport home to the cricket-obsessed nation.