"No reason for England to not come to Pakistan in 2022", says PCB chairman

The Pakistan Cricket Board has made great efforts in tackling security concerns in recent years.

England is due to travel to Pakistan for three Tests and five ODIs | GettyPakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani urged England to tour Pakistan for its next away series against the Asian rivals in 2022. 

England hasn't played in Pakistan since 2005 due to security concerns, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) instead playing host to the three lions. 

Read Also: Shoaib Malik expected to join Pakistan squad by August 15 for ongoing tour

But having made great efforts in once again making Pakistan a safe enough destination for the game in these recent years, Mani is confident that England will be pushed into revisiting its stance. 

"I don't think there will be any reason for England not to come," said Mani on BBC's 'Test Match Special'. 

Given the change and the losses made over the years in organising matches in UAE, the PCB feels there is no question left of hosting teams at neutral venues. "I'm very clear that we won't play in third countries. We either play in Pakistan or we won't play," added Mani.

Pakistan lost the 2011 World Cup co-hosting rights and went nearly six years without any international cricket in the aftermath of the Lahore terrorist attack in 2009 where a Sri Lankan team bus was targetted. 

The country had been hosting infrequent limited-overs cricket since 2015. But last season was the first time things fell significantly back to normal when Sri Lanka and Bangladesh visited for Test matches and the PCB held the entire league stage of the PSL 2020 in its homeland with the presence of foreign stars. 

An MCC side captained by its president Kumar Sangakkara, who was part of that bus 11 years ago, also stepped on shores in February this year. 

"Pakistan is safe," said Mani. "For some teams that have come we have had very tight security, like you would have for a head of state."

"By the time the MCC came, they wanted to get out and play golf. They went sightseeing, they went to restaurants."

"We've got two years before England come and I hope by then things have settled down and there will be more freedom of movement," he added. 

England is due to tour Pakistan for three Tests and five ODIs in 2022. 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 08 Aug, 2020

    Share Via