Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani has encouraged Australia to tour Pakistan as he seeks to get international cricket back to the country in a big way.
International cricket in Pakistan came to a standstill following the terrorist attacks on the touring Sri Lankan team bus in 2009. Lately, international cricket returned to Pakistan slowly with the likes of Sri Lanka and the West Indies sending their teams for bilateral matches.
Mani had an opportunity to meet with incoming Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts on the sidelines of the ongoing Test series between Pakistan and Australia in the UAE.
The PCB head raised the prospect of Australia touring Pakistan during the meeting.
“Obviously they rely on the High Commission’s advice, but a lot of it is a matter of perception. I am yet to meet people who, once they’ve been to Pakistan, have any concerns about going there,” Mani was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
PCB chairman Ehsan Mani.
The PCB chief is optimistic of big international teams touring Pakistan in the near future.
“It will certainly happen sooner or later. It’s a matter of comfort levels. We are getting PSL matches played in Pakistan, foreign players are coming for that. We’ve had a couple of other teams come and play, but I really want Australia, New Zealand, England to come,” he stated.
The last time Australia toured Pakistan was all the way back in 1998. Last year, current Australia Test skipper Tim Paine was part of the ICC World XI which toured Pakistan for a historic T20I series.