Zaka Ashraf requests CSA to send team to Pakistan

Lahore: The PCB has again formally requested the Cricket South Africa (CSA) to send its team to Pakistan for the Test and one-day series in October-November this year.

Sources in the Board said PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf had, during his recent visit to Johannesburg, approached the South African cricket officials and invited them to play in Pakistan. "Although, it`s a foregone conclusion that South Africa will not tour Pakistan in October-November because of existing security concerns but Zaka has still tried to convince them that security conditions are such that an international team can play in Pakistan," a source said. He said Ashraf reminded the South African officials that Pakistan had always been in the forefront of helping other countries and now it was the turn of other countries to support and help out the strife-torn nation. "Ashraf pointed out that Pakistan just needed one high-profile team to break the ice and visit Pakistan. But the South Africa officials declined to make any promises or commitments and it appears as if the series will be held in the UAE," the source said. Even in 2010, Pakistan had to host its `home` series against South Africa in the UAE as the Proteas had declined to tour the country. Meanwhile, the PCB chairman has expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the national team in South Africa. "I think the team`s overall performance has been satisfactory. In the Twenty20 format, our performance was very good. We must not forget that the South Africa team is number one in the world," Ashraf told the `Express Tribune`. PTI