Pakistan decide to host two more World XI series in subsequent years

Looking at the success of the First T20I between Pakistan and World XI, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi made the announcement of two other annual World XI series in the next couple of years. Pakistan on Tuesday made a giant stride towards the revival of International cricket as the hosted a match after 8 long years.

Barring the Zimbabwe series in 2015, no other International team accepted to tour the country post the terror attacks on Sri Lankan players in 2009. Sri Lanka, themselves, have agreed to tour Pakistan post the Independence Cup for a T20Is series. West Indies, following the footsteps of the Lions, will tour Pakistan for the same.

“The World XI series is now planned for every year for the three years. This is first of the three series and there will be two more in the next years, Once this [World XI tour] is done the Sri Lankans have committed to play one or two matches in Lahore next month and then the West Indies have committed to me that they will come for three matches in November,” stated the PCB chief.

“Now we can say with assurance that the war against terrorism has been taken to its logical conclusion and that 90-95% of terrorism has abated in this country. A sufficient condition was to convince the international community in general and the ICC in particular that the situation was safe to play cricket,” commented Najam Sethi according to The Guardian, assuring many more teams would agree to tour the country in the future.

PSL finals at Lahore paved way for World XI Series: Sethi

The PCB and PSL chairman said that a couple of years ago, the board didn’t intend to “risk anything that might endanger the guests even if they were prepared to come” and that he fought tooth and nail to convince ICC about the security arrangements in Lahore.

“First step in that direction was to at least try and play at least one match in Pakistan, which is why I fought tooth and nail to have the PSL final in Lahore. Security experts affiliated with various boards and also with the ICC came to the Lahore final and saw for themselves the excellent security arrangements that were in place, and then they went back and gave their reports. All this formed the basis for a World XI tour,” concluded Sethi.