LAHORE, Aug 1: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Shaharyar M. Khan, remained optimistic on Monday that England’s decision to play a one-day match in Karachi later this year will pave the way for regular international cricket in the country’s biggest metropolis.

“Though the PCB wanted England to play a Test or two ODIs in Karachi, the successful holding of the one game will help change the ‘perception’ the foreign teams have about Karachi,” the PCB chief told a press conference.

The chairman said that England would have a two-night stay in Karachi and added it was quite possible that the visitors would come with a security official. He claimed that the itinerary was finalized with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and despite initial reluctance to play Tests in Karachi and Multan for security reasons, the ECB agreed to a Test in Multan and an ODI in Karachi.

“The itinerary was finalized on the basis that Karachi would not be excluded from it,” he said.

He said that the PCB also reserves the right to raise similar security objections about some English cities when Pakistan tour England next year. However, he disagreed with former Test captain Javed Miandad’s assessment that PCB should cancel next year’s tour of England if the ECB decided against playing a Test in Karachi. “Such a step wouldn’t have helped Karachi’s cause as we are determined to have teams playing there on a regular basis.”

He announced that the national squad will play a series of three four-day matches as part of preparations for the England series.

The squad would play against Quaid-i-Azam Trophy champions Peshawar at Arbab Niaz Stadium from Oct 8, against Karachi at National Stadium from Oct 21 and then face a Rest of Pakistan XI at Qadhafi Stadium from Oct 29.

The PCB chairman stated that on his intervention, the ICC Executive Board partially reversed the decision of the Cricket Committee and Chief Executive Committee to comply with Pakistan’s request for neutral umpires for the England ODIs.

At the same time, he dispelled the impression that introduction of neutral umpires in the coming ODI series would deny local umpires international experience. He further added that the PCB would also offer India use of neutral umpires during next year’s series in Pakistan.

He said that the PCB also made ECB agreed to start the day and night ODIs from 11.30am to continue till 6.30pm after a break at 3.30pm.

“This is done to negate the advantage a team gets after winning the toss since batting becomes difficult for the side batting of heavy dew in the later stages of the day/night matches.”

The chairman said that he also expressed his reservations to the new substitute rule, which would remain in experiment for a further nine months, on grounds of principle.

“I objected in the ICC meetings that the rules should have been first applied at the lower level before assessing whether it was worth trying in international cricket.”

Meanwhile, the PCB has decided to have 13 regional outfits competing in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy during the forthcoming season, its chairman announced.

The new regions to make the grade are Azad Kashmir/ Islamabad/Gujrat and Northern Areas/Abbottabad. Karachi and Lahore would continue to field two teams each in the premier domestic event.

According to new promotion/ relegation system, the regions would be divided into two divisions — Gold and Silver. The Gold division would comprise seven top regional teams while six will be included in the Silver division.

The team finishing at the bottom of the Gold division would relegate to the other division, while the top team in the Silver division would be elevated.

The PCB chief disclosed that National Cricket Academy (NCA) would restart functioning once a new chief coach was appointed while assuring that the appointment would be made only on merit.

He also told reporters that the Pakistanis living in England would help in generating funds for the Pakistan Room at The Oval as tribute to the outstanding services rendered by late Fazal Mahmood for Pakistan cricket.