Pakistan hoping Sri Lanka will keep the faith after Zimbabwe

E-Paper | April 28, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for short tours to the country after it successfully hosted Zimbabwe for two Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals in May.

A PCB official told the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) that Pakistan had invited Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for a tour next year.

“After the successful tour of the Zimbabwean team to Pakistan, we feel many teams are willing to come and play here,” he said.

Zimbabwe cricket officials were satisfied after their visit, the official said.

“The message they took from here is that Pakistan is a safe country [to host international sporting events] and the series must have convinced other teams to tour too.”

The official said due to Pakistan’s busy schedule this year, the cricket-crazy nation would witness more international series on home soil in 2016.

“A tour by Sri Lanka would be of greater impact, for obvious reasons,” he said.

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Javeria

Jun 03, 2015 07:16pm

Now this is the real challenge for PCB chairman.

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faisal

Jun 03, 2015 07:18pm

I doubt other teams will follow Zim.

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Ovais

Jun 03, 2015 08:21pm

PCB needs to work hard to invite West Indies. This tour only occur because Zimbwawe is the brave team and same as West Indies. I'm sure they will agree to come to Pakistan if Pakistan team will invite. I believe talking to Bangladesh and Srilanka is waist of time. Pakistan needs to invite the team like Ireland,Kenya, WestIndies,UAE,Afganistan and get the cricket going in home grounds. Please don't wait until next year they need to bring more teams this year at home to play.

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Tamilselvan

Jun 03, 2015 08:26pm

Good luck and please try to bring Australia, England, S. Africa and India to come and play too in Pakistan. It's good for the cricketing world

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magesh

Jun 03, 2015 08:34pm

Pakistan is peaceful and aspiring nation but terrorism destroys its potential. My humble suggestion is to address the route cause of the terrorism.

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Santosh Menon

Jun 03, 2015 10:13pm

I don't think so!. ESPNcricinfo is reporting that PCB paid 12,500 US$ to each of the Zimbabwean players to come & play in Pakistan. Initially PCB offered 10,000 US$ but was rejected. That's why there were some doubts about their visit after it was confirmed. The deal was that half the payment will be given on arrival & the rest after the completion of the tour. That's they stay put even after the blast outside the stadium!. As for SL, they have the memories of the attack & if agreed PCB will have to pay 4-5 times more to SL players than Zimbabwe!.

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H Chaudhry

Jun 03, 2015 11:19pm

Can we split at least, play tests in Sri Lanka and ODIs/T20 in Pakistan. Any help is appreciated.

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Asad

Jun 03, 2015 11:33pm

@Santosh Menon And you think players go to India to play IPL for the love of Indian people? Star players will go play in Afghanistan if the price is right and that's a fact!

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Santosh Menon

Jun 03, 2015 11:52pm

@Asad : It's the respective cricket boards that pays the money to their players!.

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RAAZ

Jun 04, 2015 12:05am

@Santosh Menon - so whats the point ? You go to work to get salary ?

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Santosh Menon

Jun 04, 2015 12:37am

@Asad : I don't think anybody's life can be measured in terms of $! ZCB is bankrupt. in fact PCB paid 500,000 US$ to ZCB!!. In a nut shell only "bankrupt" cricket nations will be willing to play in Pakistan!. No wonder Bangladesh didn't even want to play for US$.!.

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KUNAL

Jun 04, 2015 01:22am

We are Indian welcome cricket in Pakistan.

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Vorshal

Jun 04, 2015 05:14am

@faisal --I agree with you. Most of the teams will not take the risk at this time! As per reports, Zimbabwe came to Pakistan only after per player guarantee amount was raised to $12,500 included in the total package amount of $ 500,000. Bangladesh may come to their brotherly country if security is guaranteed. Sri Lanka may not agree to any bargain price at this time because of their previous close encounter! Good luck Pakistan!

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Ranjan

Jun 04, 2015 06:42am

@Asad, That's exactly is his point. To bring Sri Lanka on your soil, you have to shell out more. And also their willingness to risk their lives for the amount of money put on table.

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lalit

Jun 04, 2015 07:33am

@Asad , you can go and play in Afghanistan mate.

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ashraf

Jun 04, 2015 07:43am

Good luck Pakistan Cricket will win in the end...

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Canada

Jun 04, 2015 09:20am

In life, perhaps unfortunately, there is a price for everything.

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REASON

Jun 04, 2015 09:20am

But did Zimbabwe play all the scheduled matches?

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Trapert

Jun 04, 2015 10:06am

@Santosh Menon couldn't agree more. People here are comparing the money given to the salary received for playing in IPL. Remember salary for Zim players is given by Zimbabwe cricket board not PCB. That 12500$ paid to the cricketers by PCB is for the risk they take to play in pakistan. Basically it is insurance money and not salary

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ali

Jun 04, 2015 10:22am

@Santosh Menon But it's true that cricket have become a money matters to anywhere else.If Pakistan would pay ZM cricketers, I think, nothing is wrong with their deals. India didn't usually come to BD playing cricket considering money matters. This time they are agreed to come, although in a limited way, BD by calculating their dividends that they may be incurred out of the tour.

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Deepak

Jun 04, 2015 10:55am

Pakistan have to take strong measure to stop terrorism otherwise people of Pakistan will go to neighbouring countries to see cricket matches

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Bhai

Jun 04, 2015 12:09pm

I dont think any team can follow Zimbabwe

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