ISLAMABAD: Flamboyant West Indies batting superstar Chris Gayle has termed Pakistan as “one of the safest places in the world”.

The 40-year-old, who is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Chattogram Challengers was replying to a reporters query in Dhaka, who asked him whether Pakistan was a safe country for cricket.

“Pakistan is one of the safest places right now in the world. They say you will get presidential security so you are in good hands,” he said.

Pakistan successfully hosted Sri Lanka for a two-match ICC Test Championship series in December 2019. The Sri Lankan players enjoyed their stay in Pakistan.

Now the country is scheduled to host Bangladesh for two Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals during the ongoing and next months. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was supposed to give a final answer on what the tour itinerary would consist of on Thursday, but so far it has failed to do so. According to media reports, BCB media Committee Chairman Jalal Yunus said that a decision was likely to be taken in a board meeting on Sunday.

Chairman PCB Ehsan Mani, had already stated that Pakistan would no longer look for neutral venues to stage their home international matches and that he expected opposition sides to tour Pakistan. “The onus will be on the other teams to tell us why they can’t play in Pakistan,” he had stated last month.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.