The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected Rashid Latif’s proposal of a ODI series against Afghanistan in October.
An official from the PCB cited Pakistan’s busy schedule as the main reason they will unable to host the series in the troubled country.
“We’ve turned down the proposal because of series against South Africa in UAE this October,” the official said. “We have a hectic schedule till next year’s World Cup and it’s difficult to slot an extra series in before that.”
It was hoped that, if this series went ahead, it would have given Afghanistan the chance to play a full-member and it would have got international cricket back in Pakistan. Home international matches in Pakistan have stopped ever since terrorists attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan Test team in early 2009.
The PCB’s decision has not gone down well with former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani.
“There should be something to start with and the series could’ve given some confidence to other countries as Afghanistan are ICC’s associate members,” Mani said. “The series against South Africa is starting in the last week of October and with the England tour ending in the third week of September, there was a window available for at least three matches.”
The former ICC chief went on to say that Afghanistan must be supported in their rise by the PCB.
“It’s our responsibility to help them because we should make our region strong,” he said before adding if Afghanistan will become a major cricket nation then it will pave way for international cricket in region. “The teams will start coming to Afghanistan if they become a major side and this will also pave the way for sides to come and play in Pakistan.”
