 After the New Zealand cricket board clarified that they will not be touring Pakistan
despite being earlier reported as contrary to the same, the Zimbabwe cricket board
seems to have come to Pakistan's rescue. Zimbabwe cricket board said that they
will like to help the flood victims by playing in Pakistan.
Earlier, the PCB had announced that New Zealand had expressed its willingness
to play in Pakistan, but the New Zealand board had shot down the suggestion
by saying that they were misinterpreted. The Kiwi board said that the letter
contained a line which said that cricket will play a part in the resurrection
but nowhere was it mentioned that they will want to tour Pakistan given the
security situation in the country.
Peter Chingoka, chairman Zimbabwe Cricket, however said that his players
would be happy to play cricket in Pakistan where no other side has played since
the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan cricketers.
Chingoka said that even before the floods had happened, the PCB and the Zimbabwe
cricket were in talks to hold a series in Pakistan, but the natural calamity
meant that the priority now lies in assisting the people of Pakistan overcome
the suffering.
What could work against Pakistan is their packed schedule. Their current tour
of England continues up to September, post which they will play a Test series
and an ODI series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in October-November, against
South Africa. After that, they will visit New Zealand to feature in two test
matches, six ODIs and three T20Is. This series ends on February 5 and will be
followed by the World Cup, in the sub-continent.
Chingoka hinted that the series could be played before the start of the World Cup in February. He also added that approval of all the cricketers was sought
by the Zimbabwe cricket and they had all accepted the suggestion of playing
the series in Pakistan.
Talking of the denial sent across by the New Zealand CEO, there were
reports that the PCB was supposed to send across their reply to the denial on
Monday. However, for now, the PCB is not saying too much about the same.
No international team has toured Pakistan after March 2009 when the Sri Lankan
team was shot at by extreme elements in Lahore. Many of the Lankan cricketers
were injured and the PCB also lost the hosting rights of the World Cup after
that.
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