Islamabad: Pakistani cricket began to face the worst fear of Saturday, with the national team looked at the era of other insulation from host international matches after New Zealand left the tour, quoting security threats.
Blackcaps called their first Pakistan series in 18 years with Wellington’s support on Friday just before the international first day will begin in Rawalpindi.
The decision had left Cricket-Crazy Pakistan Reeling, with the nation still recovering from the 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore who injured six players.
Already struggling to convince foreign teams for tours, Pakistan was forced to play home matches in neutral places – especially in the UAE – after the attack.
The decision left a generation of cricket fans which grew after never attending a direct match.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, a former international cricket hero, and the Pakistani cricket board must now work overtime to avoid other periods of exile.
“With the administration they now have on PCB and how closely related to PM, there will be a real encouragement to make sure they have to play as little as possible in a neutral place,” said the Cricket Saminuddin Osman AFP.
Their first task was convincing England, who decided on Sunday whether to send their men’s and women’s teams to tour scheduled to Pakistan next month.
These tours must be followed by the series against West Indies in December and Australia’s first visit since 1998 in February next year.
“England now tends not to tour.
Australia …
maybe not coming.
So it will be a hit,” Samiuddin said.
“And for fans too, they just started to get used to going to the Big Games again so for the prospect that was taken away, it would hurt.” PCB aroused $ 200 million in losses during the country’s cricket exile.
Now, along the upcoming tour, his offer to entertain six international events – including the World Cup and the Champion Cup between 2024-31 – can also be in danger.
The former player said keeping international cricket in Pakistan was a top priority.
“All Cricketers with PCBs and we have to find a way to avoid further isolation, for the sake of our next generation,” said the former captain Rashid Latif to AFP.
New Zealand will be the highest profile team to play in Pakistan in more than a decade.
Pakistan only held South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since the 2009 attack.
Former Naushad Ali player said his country needs to restore cricket world trust.
“Pakistan must prove that New Zealand’s decision was wrong and I thought only that would produce sympathy,” Ali said.
“We should not hand over our hosting rights and have to lobby with other countries.” But former captain Shahid Afridi believes that they have sacrificed a lot for years and deserves to get a “better deal”.
“We have done more than enough for them,” he said.
“We went around England and New Zealand (last year) despite fear of a pandemic and we wanted them to reply.”
Pakistan struggled from isolation as host cricket after New Zealand pulled out
