International cricket to resume in Pakistan

Islamabad: International cricket is likely to resume in Pakistan from April after a gap of nearly three years following a terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, a federal minister said on Friday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is in contact with the Interior Ministry and the Bangladesh Cricket Board for hosting a Test and one-day series with Bangladesh in April-May, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani said while answering a question in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament. A delegation from Bangladesh is arriving in Pakistan in the first week of March for discussions on the proposed tour, he said. Interior Ministry officials will brief officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board about the elaborate security arrangements being made for their cricket team, he added. The last international cricket match was played in Lahore against Sri Lanka during March 1-5, 2009, Bijarani said. The game was called off after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team on March 3. After this ‘unfortunate incident’, no international cricket was played in Pakistan and all home series were being played at neutral venues, he said. Six policemen were killed and eight persons, including six Sri Lankan players, were injured in the attack on the Sri Lankan team that was blamed on the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. PTI