KARACHI, Nov 10: Sindh Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Naeem Ishtiaq on Monday said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should convince the foreign cricket teams to play in Karachi, adding that refusal of South Africa and New Zealand for the tour of Karachi was the reflection of the performance of PCB.

The Minister said PCB should approach ICC to ensure the participation of foreign teams in Sindh. There is no security problem which was admitted by the president of South Africa after his visit of National Stadium in Karachi.

Talking to different delegations which called on him from within Karachi and interior Sindh at his office, the minister said that Karachi, the city of lights, is nursery of cricket and a large number of cricket lovers here were crazy of this game.

He noted that cricket activities in the city are badly suffering due to non holding of international matches. While terming Karachi nursery of cricket, said that if the international matches were not held in Karachi soon, the participation of players from the city in national team will come to an end which would be a tragedy.

The provincial minister said that international matches should also be allocated to Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, so that cricket lovers in that city and interior Sindh would get an opportunity to watch world’s finest cricketers in action.—PPI