ECB Chief impressed with cricket security arrangements in Pakistan

Pakistan may have not finished their historic home series against Sri Lanka in the way they would have liked but their preparations for the occasion against all odds have impressed the cricketing fraternity. Lanka arrived in Pakistan to play three ODIs and as many T20Is despite the presence of threats and it went off successfully even though a number of Lankan players refused to travel to Pakistan which has remained sidelined as a host for a decade since the life-threatening terror attacks against a visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009.

Tom Harrison, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has remarked that he was impressed with the security arrangements that Pakistan authorities took to host international cricket events. The latest Sri Lankan visit came under the clouds after the island nation’s government issued a terror warning but the Pakistan Cricket Board’s assurance saw the visitors eventually arriving.

Tom Harrison says he was impressed with the security measures taken by Pakistan authorities to host international cricket events, “We had a real look at the incredible work that is going on in Lahore with the Safe City Project and the extraordinary reaction to past incidents that has been put in place here. And that’s been incredibly impressive,” Harrison said while talking to PCB podcast, Pakistan’s Business Recorder reported.

Harrison recently went to Pakistan to assess the security provisions that could make a tour by England to that country in the future viable. He was content, needless to say.

England in Pakistan in 2022?

“Now we need to take the entire information home and start building towards a plan to put in place over the next few years to make it safe for us to consider coming here and fulfilling that obligation in the second half of 2022,” he said.

England last played a Test series in Pakistan in 2005-06 for three Tests and five ODIs and the hosts won both the series – 2-0 (Tests) and 3-2 (ODIs). They played Pakistan in their makeshift home UAE twice – in 2011-12 and 2015-16 – with Pakistan winning the Test series on both occasions. England, however, won the limited-overs series (both ODIs and T20Is) in those twin tours.

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