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No foreign team coming in Pak in near future: former PCB chief

Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan believes that the security situation in Pakistan has only deteriorated in the last couple of years and it is unlikely that any foreign team will tour the country at this moment.

Karachi: Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan believes that the security situation in Pakistan has only deteriorated in the last couple of years and it is unlikely that any foreign team will tour the country at this moment.
Khan, who played an instrumental role in getting Indian team to tour Pakistan for a full series in 2004 after a lull of 14-years, felt that the PCB was wrong in thinking that by organising the Pakistan Super League T20 event it will pave way for revival of international cricket in the country. "The security situation in Pakistan has deteriorated further in the last couple of years and in my personal opinion, no country will send its team here at this moment in time," he told the daily `Dawn` in an interview. "I wish I`m wrong in claiming that the PSL will not be able to attract top-ranked cricketers but as the PCB is investing heavily, second or third-grade players might be attracted to it. However, that will not fulfil its purpose of convincing teams to come and play in Pakistan," he added. He also does not see any possibility of top cricket playing nations like India, England or Australia touring Pakistan in the coming years. "The BCCI follows its government`s instructions in any ties with Pakistan while the UK and Australia are part of the NATO forces so they won`t be sending their teams either," he said. Khan, who has also served as foreign secretary and ambassador in India in his diplomatic career, said that even the recent tour by Pakistan to India had been negated by the prevailing situation on the Line of Control (LoC). "In the past, cross-firing at the LoC was a routine matter but this time around the Indian reaction has been so strong that our hockey players had to return home (from participating in the Indian Hockey League)," he said. PTI