Pakistan confident of hosting South Africa and three other teams in six months
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that it will be hosting at least four foreign international teams — including South Africa and Ireland — in the span of five to six months next year. Pakistan has not hosted a Test series since March 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team.
The deadly attack which took place in Lahore, which left six Pakistani policemen dead and some visiting players and match officials injured, also resulted in a six-year suspension from the ICC for all international cricket. Since 2015, most teams — especially the big guns — have refused to travel to the country citing security reasons. Zimbabwe played a T20 series in Pakistan in 2015 and Sri Lanka played one of the matches of their series in Lahore. However, most of the Lankan top players opted out of the three T20Is that was played during September-October earlier this year.
But the PCB has looked at the successful running of that same series and is hopeful of more international cricket coming to the country in the upcoming months. The board has got in touch with South Africa and Ireland for a T20 series, while they try to persuade Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to visit Pakistan in December and January to play the ICC World Test Championship matches.
“The Board is confident that it will be hosting at least four foreign teams in a span of five to six months next year after it invited South Africa and Ireland to tour Pakistan for limited over series. South Africa is a top team while Ireland also carry substantial influence in the ICC so the PCB believes if these two teams come to Pakistan early next year it will pave the way open for even Australia, England and New Zealand to send their teams soon,” a PCB source said.
