KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi hopes another top international team in the near future would tour the country for a series.

While there was no cricket played in Pakistan ever since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus at Lahore in March 2009, things have improved significantly with the a World XI side, national teams of Sri Lanka and West Indies visiting Pakistan for limited-overs contests over the last 12 months.

However, Sethi now hopeful of hosting yet another top international team in the near future which might prove to be a huge stepping stone to his efforts over the last few years.

Even the concluding stage of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year was successfully organised in Lahore and Karachi. Even the foreign cricketers who played the PSL matches in Pakistan deemed it to be safe in the country.

Sethi was recently in England where Pakistan is involved in the two-match Test series against the home side. While in an interview, he revealed that he met the British Prime Minister Theresa May and told her that Pakistan Army has done a great job in ending terrorism in the country and they are eager to host England cricket team soon.“I told [her] that Pakistan awaits a visit by the England team [and that] we need your help … I reminded the British PM that Pakistan Army had done a great job in ending terrorism and made big sacrifices. As a result, the conditions at our home are better; hence, we are inviting foreigners to come and visit us. We have made Pakistan safe,” Sethi said.

It remains to be seen though if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reacts over the matter and if the players are willing to travel to Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2018