PCB Chief hints major international series to take place in Pakistan

In a very happy prospect for Pakistan cricket, the head of PCB’s Executive Committee Najam Sethi has announced a team might soon travel to Pakistan for an international series. No top team has toured Pakistan for a bilateral series since 2009. It was the attack on the Sri Lankan team back in 2009, that saw cricket fade away from Pakistan. Now, Najam Sethi has made the headlines citing an opportunity.

Sethi quoted that the board is in talks with a country and is yet to finalise the dates. Although he refused to reveal the team name, he managed to get smiles on the faces of Pakistan team fans. “We are in the process, as we speak, of finalising the dates [of the series]. I won’t say much more than that. And I hope we will give you some good news, soon,” quoted the PCB chief executive.

He also revealed that the team will not be a second tier team on the PTV Sports show ‘Game on hai’. It was the Zimbabwe team that had toured Pakistan last year. Najam Sethi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), said that they are planning to host the PSL finals in Lahore. He mentioned that the PSL does not mind shelling out some extra money to convince the players.

“We prepared for PSL [final], that it will take place in Lahore. Everyone told us that it is not possible. However, we had planned everything, we had asked players to take a little extra money and we only had to convince 10 players. We had their consent on contracts, we had finalised everything and sealed the deal, and announced it,” quoted Sethi.

However, a blast in Quetta had the players backing out and the finals was played in the UAE. Sethi remarked how the board is hopeful to have the finals in Pakistan this year. They have their plans in mind.

“We are still trying to work it out. I hope that nothing bad happens till February so that environment becomes conducive. And we have also taken a decision to prepare a second tier of players. Say, we need 10 players in the two finalist teams — each with five foreign players. If some of the players say that we are not ready to play, a few of them have already said that they won’t, then we should have a pool of players who can be drafted urgently,” explained Najam Sethi.

However, he added that if the second-grade cricketers also pull out, then it will be prudent to stick to UAE as the venue. “If the second-grade players say no too and only third grade are available, then everyone will themselves say that we should not diminish the value of the final and let it happen in the UAE,” he added.