ISLAMABAD: Intern­ational Cricket Council (ICC) president Zaheer Abbas hopes Sri Lanka will tour Pakistan, citing both the countries are very close to each other.

“The time will come when our neighbours will tour Pakistan. I am hoping especially that Sri Lanka would come. We’ve been very close to each other in every department. If a gesture comes from them I will be very happy,” Zaheer, a former Pakistan captain, said on Monday.

Zaheer, the third cricketer after Sir Colin Cowdrey and Clyde Walcott to hold the post of ICC president, was in Sri Lanka at invitation of Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny. He attended the fourth ODI in Colombo.

Zaheer, the 78-Test veteran, said he would try and convince other member countries to resume tours to Pakistan.

“Openly I can’t but by talking and trying to convince the ICC members maybe. Obviously, everybody is there to listen to you. If I am speaking to them as a cricketer, they will.

“Zimbabwe’s tour this year is a good change but why is it that Pakistan is the only country where international cricket is not being played?” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2015

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