Lahore: Pakistan`s restored cricket chief Najam Sethi said Thursday that his board is inviting Sri Lanka to play a home series, five years after they survived a terrorist attack.
|Last Updated: May 22, 2014, 08:00 PM IST|Source: AFP
Lahore: Pakistan`s restored cricket chief Najam Sethi said Thursday that his board is inviting Sri Lanka to play a home series, five years after they survived a terrorist attack.
The move by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) came two days after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse promised his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain to send his cricket team during a meeting on the sidelines of a summit in China.
"We are sending a letter of invitation to Sri Lanka Cricket today after their president promised to send his country`s cricket team to Pakistan and we hope for a positive outcome," Sethi told a press conference.
No foreign team has toured Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, killing eight people and injuring seven visiting players.
"We are ready to host them, have mentioned the gap in our cricket commitments and want to use this opportunity," said Sethi.
"Our top priority is to host an international team and we are making efforts for that."
Sethi was holding his first press conference after being restored as chairman of the PCB management committee by Pakistan`s Supreme Court on Wednesday, four days after a Islamabad high court ruling suspended him and reinstated Zaka Ashraf.
Since the 2009 attacks Pakistan have been forced to play their home series in United Arab Emirates.
Bangladesh twice agreed to play short limited-over series in Pakistan to end their isolation but each time backed out for security reasons.
Pakistan is set to tour Sri Lanka in August to play two Tests and three one-day internationals.
They will then host Australia and New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates from October 3 to December 19.
They are scheduled to host Zimbabwe in December to January, but that period could be utilised to host Sri Lanka.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.