PCB will invite Sri Lanka women team to Pakistan

Lahore: The PCB will invite the Sri Lankan women`s team to Pakistan next month after receiving positive vibes from the Sri Lankan government on helping Pakistan revive international cricket in the country.

According to the "Express" daily newspaper, the Sri Lankan government has agreed to send its women`s team to Pakistan after talks between Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapakse and President Asif Zardari during the former`s state visit to the country. "Both the head of states are keen followers and lovers of cricket and discussed cricket relations during their meetings," the newspaper said. It said that Sri Lanka had agreed to cooperate in helping Pakistan restore international cricket on its home grounds. "In the first stage the Sri Lankans will send their women`s team and than both boards will find a time slot for the Sri Lankan men`s team to visit Pakistan soon," the report said. No test playing nation has visited Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March, 2009 in which six Pakistani policemen and a van driver were killed and five of the visiting players wounded. Last year, the Pakistan board urged the Sri Lankans to come and play a FTP series in Pakistan but due to the reluctance of the Sri Lankan players to tour Pakistan because of security concerns the series was then held in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. But the report said that after the Sri Lankan President’s visit to Pakistan the situation had changed and Sri Lanka were now willing to support Pakistan. Pakistan has also invited Bangladesh to send its team for a test series in April this year and are waiting for a security delegation from the Bangladesh board to visit Pakistan to give approval to the security arrangements and plans for the series. PTI