No tour to Pakistan in near future: James Sutherland

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland has cleared that there are no plans for Australia’s to tour Pakistan in the near future. Currently, Pakistan is hosting World XI for a 3-match T20I series and the first two games were a huge success. Ben Cutting, Tim Paine and George Bailey are the players from down under who are a part of the World XI playing in Pakistan. International Cricket Council (ICC) has also urged other teams to visit the country after the series.

Pakistan has only hosted Zimbabwe since 2009 when militants attacked Sri Lanka team bus on their way to Gaddafi Stadium. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had to arrange all their home games in the United Arab Emirates as a result. But after the conclusion of the ongoing series, they are set to host Sri Lanka for the third T20I of the series in Lahore and then West Indies will visit the country for 3 T20I matches in November. The itinerary for the series is yet to be announced but the decision to tour has been finalised.

Sutherland in response to the appeal from ICC for more teams to visit Pakistan cleared that Australia will not be playing any cricket against the Men in Green in their home in near future.

“I don’t see in the short term there are any plans for us to play in Pakistan,” he said. Australia is scheduled to play in Pakistan as per Future Tour Programme (FTP) of the ICC but CA cleared that the tour would not be possible.

Independence Cup – a huge success

Pakistan has managed to host the first two games successfully of the 3-match T20I series so far in Lahore at Gaddafi Stadium. The crowd has been buzzing all around the stadium as well and the series is set up nicely for the decider on Friday. Another full house is expected as it is a local holiday in Pakistan on Friday. The first game was won by the home team by 20 runs as the World XI came back strongly to win the next one by 7 wickets. Irrespective of the result, the organisation of the series has been a huge success and with Sri Lanka and Windies scheduled to visit in near future, things are only improving for them.

The home team won the first game by 20 runs; the World XI came back strong to win the next one by 7 wickets. Irrespective of the result, the organisation of the series has been a huge success and with Sri Lanka and Windies scheduled to visit in near future, PCB is taking one step at a time with caution to ensure international cricket returns to the country.