ICC not to send match officials to Pakistan for Zimbabwe series
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KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) today informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Zimbabwe Cricket that it is not appointing its match officials for the upcoming series between the two countries in Pakistan, according to a statement posted on the ICC website.
According to DawnNews, the PCB has announced a panel of local match officials including Azhar Khan, Russell Tiffin, Aleem Dar, Ahsan Raza, Shozab Raza, Ahmad Shahab and Khalid Mahmood.
The ICC decision was made after receiving a report from its security consultant. Due to security fears, foreign countries and match officials are reluctant to visit Pakistan.
The PCB and Zimbabwe have however agreed to play five One-day Internationals and two T20 matches.
Read: Tickets go on sale in Lahore for Zimbabwe series
The ICC Board, during its April meeting, had decided that the playing conditions relating to the appointment of match officials could be waived to allow the PCB to appoint local match officials for this series should the ICC decide not to send its umpires and referee due to the current security situation in Pakistan.
If this was to occur, the matches would still be considered “official cricket”, even though they will not be played strictly in accordance with the ICC standard playing conditions.
In the past, when Bangladesh was about to visit Pakistan in 2012, same issue was raised as the ICC could not make neutral umpires available and allowed the PCB to appoint local umpires under special circumstances.
Read: Zimbabwe decision to quit Pakistan cricket tour put on hold
The PCB is pinning hopes on successful hosting of Zimbabwe as it may prove a major factor in attracting other cricket nations to also visit Pakistan.
Although the PCB claimed on Friday they had received an assurance from ZC that the tour was on, Zimbabwe continue to say only that discussions are ongoing.
Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore, who coached Pakistan in the past, took to Twitter on Sunday to suggest the team would travel.
“Looking fwd to returning to Pakistan as opposition coach and reacquainting with friends. Team zim are & will be working hard for a win!” he said from his official account.
A ZC delegation which visited Lahore, the venue for all matches on the tour, approved security measures put in place by local authorities last week.
In the recent past, the PCB had successfully hosted Afghanistan and Kenya but organising a series against a Test country will be a key success.
Zimbabwe are due to be the first test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since a 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore left six Pakistani policemen and a van driver dead. Some players and a local umpire were injured.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (66) Closed
May 17, 2015 03:09pm
Pakistan should appoint umpires from Pakistan and Zimbabwe to oversee the series.
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May 17, 2015 03:22pm
We're going to play three ODIs, not five.
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May 17, 2015 03:34pm
The whole world trust the high morale of our forces and they should not show the impression that we can not defend our guests. Problem is not only enemy or agents of enemy our friends country are not in our full favor as well.
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May 17, 2015 03:39pm
Why is too much hype in media? For God sake, let the match pass as normal.
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May 17, 2015 03:40pm
Excellent news for Pakistan. Keep it Up.
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May 17, 2015 03:41pm
I have not been outside of Pakistan very often. The stories I hear from my friends and family regarding what the world thinks of Pakistan, its truly saddening.
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May 17, 2015 03:42pm
This is fine, time for our own Aleem Dar to stand up and support his own country by offering his services independent of the ICC for this series.
He might just convince his ICC colleagues to support us next time.
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May 17, 2015 03:51pm
What kind of a joke is this? If they were so worried they should not have given permission for an ODI in Pakistan in the first place, and now when they have agreed for the series they should give full support in every way. This stand of ICC should not be acceptable to any cricket lover in the world.
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May 17, 2015 03:57pm
Thank you Zimbabwe. It is absolutely disheartening to see ICC play no positive role in this matter. Good luck to both teams
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May 17, 2015 04:01pm
ICC you need to help so cricket is back in Pakistan. ICC is in UAE Pakistan is force to play in UAE wounder why? it is not that bad to live or travel to Pakistan much as being port-rated come on ICC
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May 17, 2015 04:02pm
Crime exists in every part of any country in this world but who decides that a country is legible to host international events?
ICC in its self has been deciding in the past and again has taken a swift decision based on God knows which statistics that it is unsafe to host international cricket event in Pakistan.
There have been instances where Olympic teams have perished due to air crash but that does not stop teams from travelling through air.
This logic may not be carrying enough weight to persuade ICC to send in umpires but surely raises a question.
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May 17, 2015 04:03pm
ICC decision is not fair...
However good luck Pakistan.
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May 17, 2015 04:13pm
@Arshad yes ameen far,come forward.
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May 17, 2015 04:15pm
There is no ICC any more. Its BCCI dictating the terms. And this is what BCCI wants.
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May 17, 2015 04:22pm
@abdul
Why blame others? Fix the mess you have created and improve security. Whole world is not mujahid that they won't care about their lives. Majority of the world population love their lives.
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May 17, 2015 04:24pm
Yes, but ICC assured to deduct 10 more points from rankings of Pakistan!!!
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May 17, 2015 04:32pm
ICC is not about cricket anymore, it is politics now, its money now, and they are big time reluctant to give it to pakistan
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May 17, 2015 04:37pm
For all those criticizing ICC decision, let me tell you....
Life is not as cheap elsewhere in the world!!
We do not prefer to risk our lives for a game of cricket!
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May 17, 2015 04:42pm
I think ICC took a fair decision. Who will be responsible for the families in case something to happen? At the same time, they did allow the game to be official with Pakistan umpires. That means they support and trust Pakistan Cricket Board.
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May 17, 2015 04:43pm
@Indian Cricket Lover ICC has burnt its fingers once. It is under no obligation to take risks. International cricket is doing fine. It is a sports body, and has no control over law and order situation. It has agreed to accord status of "official matches" ecen though it has no boots on the ground. That is good enough. Pakistan needs to put its act together.
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May 17, 2015 04:58pm
Some of the commentators here say the situation is not bad enough for countries to not travel to Pakistan, then why do you provide such fortified security. This in itself says the situation is not normal.
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May 17, 2015 05:00pm
@Indian Fan
Exactly...well said. ICC is recognising the matches as "official", what more do the Pakistani fans want? Now, go beat Zimbabwe and better your rankings. End of story.
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May 17, 2015 05:02pm
ICC trying it's best to alienate Pakistan cricket. Matches were still played in Sri Lanka during the height of their civil war against Tamil Tigers. World is such an unfair place.
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May 17, 2015 05:10pm
I have my own point of view about the Zambabwe visit.Keeping in view of present L&O situation when militants are acting smartly and cowardly.Are we risking their lives in the name of goodwill cricket? Will we be able to provide quality security and safety to them?
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May 17, 2015 05:10pm
It's BCCI led ICC. No surprises there.
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May 17, 2015 05:12pm
@Indian Fan Well in that case they should not have given permission to have this series . I m sure they have done some security check before agreeing for the series to be held in Pakistan and if they have given permission for it that means they found it safe and if they did not find it safe for their official to go for the match then on what basis they are risking the life of players of two test playing team along with thousands of spectators. The decision seems not logical at all.
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May 17, 2015 05:15pm
ICC took gloss off this historic event. by first denouncing this tour by not sending ICC officials/umpires and then punishing Zim for touring Pak by denting their efforts to try and visit Pak. indeed one of the big3 is playing dirty here and ICC more or less like a young kid is helpless.
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May 17, 2015 05:23pm
@shahrukhkhan. Didn't blame anyone. Just said ICC should play a proactive role and help Pakistan by minimum sending few international level umpires. Pakistan is providing top level security. What else can Pakistan do if the situation isn't improving and fans are deprived of cricket home? Pakistan lives are equally important as anyone else.
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May 17, 2015 05:31pm
god bless zimbabawee...
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May 17, 2015 05:45pm
Let us solve our own security problems first before inviting more humiliations like this ICC refusal.
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May 17, 2015 05:51pm
ICC must send Match referees. Otherwise Pakistan should boycott the all intentional events organized by ICC.
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May 17, 2015 06:13pm
Sore loser ICC! they can send their match officials to south africa (which is probably more unsafe than Pakistan)
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May 17, 2015 06:27pm
@Indian Cricket Lover Pakistan Thanks you for a very positive and neutral comment :)
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May 17, 2015 06:38pm
Nothing unexpected from ICC (held largely by India). We have very good umpires too.
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May 17, 2015 06:52pm
@ShahrukhKhan , we are trying to fix the mess which is actually a creation of lot of forces including us, let me tell you one thing that living with dignity is everybody's right in this world and no one country has the right to choose on whims to start ostracizing certain country and its population.
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May 17, 2015 07:07pm
no icc officials?? this takes a bit of gloss out of the event. it doesnt seem likely that top level teams like england, australia, south africa will play in pakistan in near future
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May 17, 2015 07:11pm
@Awais Stop whining.
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May 17, 2015 07:32pm
God may there be peace and safety for all during the Zimbabwe cricket team's visit to Pakistan.
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May 17, 2015 07:57pm
ICC does not want cricket to return to Pakistan.
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May 17, 2015 08:13pm
@Awais BCCI can demand whatever they 'want'.... pakistan to go ahead regardless of neutral or not.
the series will be played.
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May 17, 2015 08:24pm
@Saquib Well, that's true; but the quantum-and the nature of crimes happening in Pakistan are quite different. Moreover, the existing criminal Justice, and the administration systems in Pakistan are not good enough to cope with the criminals to apprehend them, punish them neutrally and quickly. Instead, if you continuously do massacre against the humanity in differentiating the whole human folks into religious categories,such as: the Sunnis, the Shiahs, the Christians or the Hindus--that will not definitely help you to enhancing and building your country's image.
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May 17, 2015 08:33pm
ICC wants to alienate Pakistan cricket. Cricket matches didn't stop in Sri Lanka during the height of their civil war. I remember Pakistan team's tour in 199o's but had to come back leaving the tour unfinished. But still cricket didn't stop in the country. World indeed is an unfair place.
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May 17, 2015 08:34pm
Pakistan should pull out of ICC membership after this humiliation.
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May 17, 2015 08:50pm
Pakistan should begin a boycott of the ICC due to their betrayal
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May 17, 2015 08:51pm
Its look like ICC don't want Pakistan in cricket firstly the test ranking game, and now not sending their officials Why!
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May 17, 2015 10:35pm
ICC is ineffective org now go ahead Pak Good Luck!
as a fan and lover of cricket i am very upset and sadden coz of biased role of ICC in world cricket
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May 17, 2015 10:44pm
@SALLU MIAN
Its saddening for you but its Reality as well.
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May 17, 2015 11:16pm
Zimbabwe cricket team is taking a big risk with their lives by touring pakistan
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May 17, 2015 11:19pm
@Awais I was waiting for this comment. You didnt disappoint me
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May 17, 2015 11:40pm
good move by the zimbabwe
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May 18, 2015 12:27am
Zimbabwe is in this for money.. Good luck & safe trip.
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May 18, 2015 12:27am
Why did not ICC make the umpires currently agreed for umpiring as officials. The umpires for the series announced are still international umpires and ready to do their job. Well done ICC for promoting cricket.
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May 18, 2015 12:42am
Oh No.....
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May 18, 2015 01:54am
@Roussou Sri Lanka had a civil war between Separatists and Govt and cricket was never targetted. No one ever accused SL govt of patronizing terror group, nor internationally acclaimed terrorists were treated as national heroes. There is a grudge againt Pakistan in international community that is why sympathy is missing.
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May 18, 2015 02:02am
@iztraab@this is not the case.Just recall last Sri Lankan team episode,how they have narrowly escaped.
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May 18, 2015 05:11am
Thr terrorists will do everything to create an incident but let us do everything to keep at least Lahore out of their treasonous reach.
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May 18, 2015 06:21am
ICC can do what it feels right and PCB should do as it feels right. At this rate the Essel Group will be able to offer lucrative sums to boards such as WICB, PCB, ZIM and start its plans.
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May 18, 2015 06:33am
Double standard by ICC.
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May 18, 2015 07:02am
@Shdhsn
"Double standard by ICC"...how? The phrase "double standards" has a specific meaning, it implies it did / said something at one place, but did just the opposite elsewhere. So please explain.
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May 18, 2015 07:10am
@Indian Fan: Isn't it enough that an international team is coming to play cricket in Pakistan. Isn't Zimbabwe part of the ICC family? There are contradictions all around, ICC deems the security to be all right for a full squad but not for their few officials?
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May 18, 2015 07:12am
How can ICC promote the idea of playing cricket in Pakistan. If that were to happen then who is going to play cricket in the UAE stadiums? Do you see the motivations and intentions. After all ICC is based in UAE.
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May 18, 2015 07:49am
@KHALID SOHAIL
Have Sri Lankan team attackers and planners been brought to justice ? Strange that Pakistanis want rest of the world to display solidarity but refuse to take the most basic steps such as catching the Sri Lankan team attackers and punishing them. Or are six years not enough ? Zimbabwe will not come.
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May 18, 2015 07:51am
@abdul You want ICC to support you. Why have you not brought the Sri Lankan team attackers and planners to justice till now ? Why should ICC risk the life of innocent umpires when you do not even want to do basic things such as bringing the attackers and planners to justice.
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May 18, 2015 07:58am
@Khaliq Please do. Good riddance.
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May 18, 2015 08:51am
this series will not happen.
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May 18, 2015 09:02am
the ICC dissension not fair and they are not honest with the cricket. there is also politics and everybody know that who is ruling on ICC. Shame on ICC and Shame on the ICC Chairman etc:
They should give full support to cricket in world instead of creating difficulties in cricket series. Shame Shame Shame on ICC .
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