Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
- Runs
- 44,826
For eight long years, Pakistan cricket has lived in exile, as all of Pakistan’s ‘home’ games were played in the UAE. Back home, stadiums fell into disrepair and domestic cricket suffered. Even Pakistan’s glitzy Twenty20 league was played abroad. But, 2017 changed some of this.
In March, the Pakistan Cricket Board successfully held the final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore. After all security fears were addressed, the PCB hosted the Independence Cup—three Twenty20 matches between Pakistan and an ICC World XI side. It was a major victory for the PCB and the ICC.
When Pakistan beat India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy this year, the team returned home to a ticker-tape parade through Lahore—Pakistan had not celebrated a cricket win like this in a long time.
It came full circle when the Sri Lankan team arrived in Lahore for a Twenty20 international. It was only the second bilateral match to be played in Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009. The PCB is now aiming for three PSL matches to be played at home next season.
In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, PCB chairman Najam Sethi spoke about the need to resume bilateral ties with India ahead of the proposed ICC Test Championship and ODI league in 2019. Even though the PCB has taken the legal recourse to the disputed MOU with the BCCI, India’s new proposed Future Tours Programs schedule does not include a series with Pakistan. This led to a huge outcry from its neighbours. Excerpts from the interview:
How difficult was it to get international cricket back to Pakistan?
It was very tough. Whenever we raised the issue, the question before us was that when we play our own domestic league abroad, why should international teams come home?
For that, we had to first ensure that PSL came back home. We needed to assess the nature of security needed for the match. Over the last few years, the security scenario has improved. The Pakistan army had carried out several successful operations up north. The state government had a few concerns. My own assessment was that conditions were right to take the plunge. We persuaded the government to give VVIP-level security. The PSL final at home was a huge success.
The ICC has been supportive of Pakistan cricket. It even brought an independent security firm to assess and address issues.
The task force was set up to solve difficulties that we suffered by playing outside Pakistan. Our net profits were low. India was not playing us—that was a huge chunk of our revenue stream. The ICC was persuaded to help secure guarantees.
We introduced the ICC and its task force to our ‘Safe City’ project. Teams and the ICC were shown the VVIP security procedures in place for cricket teams and matches. A secure route from airport to hotel was put in place. There was support from the people of Lahore who were willing to accept security restrictions.
On the day of the World XI match, it was like half the city was inside the stadium. I ran into a father-son duo. The child was some 6-7 years old. The father congratulated and thanked me because his son had never been to a stadium before this match. A generation of Pakistanis had forgotten or never seen a cricket match in a stadium.
The whole nation had come alive. People flew in from all parts of the country to watch the World XI game. That is when we decided to get more cricket back to Pakistan. We need to get the stadiums ready—most have fallen into a state of disrepair for the lack of matches and funds.
We are now trying to rejuvenate cricket. It will take some time, maybe a couple of years, before all stadiums are ready and can host international matches. With these matches, more youngsters have started to play cricket in Pakistan.
Were there doubts that the matches would not happen?
Yes, absolutely, I had sleepless nights. In the run up to the final of the PSL, the Punjab government gave clearance just six days before it had to take place.... There was a blast in the city three weeks before it. What if more bombs went off? What if the match was on and something happened two miles from the ground? The rest of the city was open. What if the umpires called off the match? Will they rush the teams out of the ground? Will the players be taken out of the country? Imagine what we all went through. We took a calculated risk.
But, now things are better. The security procedures are firmer. We have a five-year deal with Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
How far is Pakistan from hosting a Test match again?
If I am around and allowed to stick on, and we go step by step, I sense Lahore will be ready to host a Test match by the end of next year [2018]. It will take 2-3 years for a full-fledged Test series to happen.
What is your opinion of ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, given that ICC is keen to see cricket return to Pakistan?
When he was with BCCI he had entered into a dialogue with Pakistan to restart Indo-Pak cricket. It was extremely unfortunate for us that he could not complete his term there.
But, he is not popular with his home board.
Manohar still wants to see something like that, but the ball is in the BCCI’s court.
Do you think the ICC’s proposed Test Championship and ODI league will be successful without India and Pakistan playing each other?
The BCCI’s position is that it will not play any cricket with us in a bilateral series. They are, however, ready to play Pakistan in ICC events and multilateral competitions. In the Test Championship, the rule is that you have to forfeit points if you are unable to play any country. I feel the BCCI will cross the bridge when it comes to it. We are not OK with it. We want to play India in a bilateral series. The BCCI thinks it won’t be penalised in the Test Championship, if we were to face off against each other.
But, India forfeited its points against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s ODI championship league and had to play a qualifier to make it to the World Cup.
In the Women’s World Cup qualifying, the ICC had asked to give evidence that the government had stopped them from playing Pakistan women’s team. They could not, and, therefore, they forfeited the points. They cannot take that route again, surely.
What about the Asia Cup that could be in India next year?
As far as Asia Cup is concerned, there are things yet to be discussed. It is absolutely vital that the two countries play against each other. There is no doubt that India-Pakistan is the most exciting series, much ahead of the Ashes. It is also important, both, in terms of eyeballs and financial health of the two boards.
http://www.theweek.in/theweek/sports/najam-sethi-interview-chairman-pakistan-cricket-board.html
In March, the Pakistan Cricket Board successfully held the final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore. After all security fears were addressed, the PCB hosted the Independence Cup—three Twenty20 matches between Pakistan and an ICC World XI side. It was a major victory for the PCB and the ICC.
When Pakistan beat India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy this year, the team returned home to a ticker-tape parade through Lahore—Pakistan had not celebrated a cricket win like this in a long time.
It came full circle when the Sri Lankan team arrived in Lahore for a Twenty20 international. It was only the second bilateral match to be played in Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009. The PCB is now aiming for three PSL matches to be played at home next season.
In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, PCB chairman Najam Sethi spoke about the need to resume bilateral ties with India ahead of the proposed ICC Test Championship and ODI league in 2019. Even though the PCB has taken the legal recourse to the disputed MOU with the BCCI, India’s new proposed Future Tours Programs schedule does not include a series with Pakistan. This led to a huge outcry from its neighbours. Excerpts from the interview:
How difficult was it to get international cricket back to Pakistan?
It was very tough. Whenever we raised the issue, the question before us was that when we play our own domestic league abroad, why should international teams come home?
For that, we had to first ensure that PSL came back home. We needed to assess the nature of security needed for the match. Over the last few years, the security scenario has improved. The Pakistan army had carried out several successful operations up north. The state government had a few concerns. My own assessment was that conditions were right to take the plunge. We persuaded the government to give VVIP-level security. The PSL final at home was a huge success.
The ICC has been supportive of Pakistan cricket. It even brought an independent security firm to assess and address issues.
The task force was set up to solve difficulties that we suffered by playing outside Pakistan. Our net profits were low. India was not playing us—that was a huge chunk of our revenue stream. The ICC was persuaded to help secure guarantees.
We introduced the ICC and its task force to our ‘Safe City’ project. Teams and the ICC were shown the VVIP security procedures in place for cricket teams and matches. A secure route from airport to hotel was put in place. There was support from the people of Lahore who were willing to accept security restrictions.
On the day of the World XI match, it was like half the city was inside the stadium. I ran into a father-son duo. The child was some 6-7 years old. The father congratulated and thanked me because his son had never been to a stadium before this match. A generation of Pakistanis had forgotten or never seen a cricket match in a stadium.
The whole nation had come alive. People flew in from all parts of the country to watch the World XI game. That is when we decided to get more cricket back to Pakistan. We need to get the stadiums ready—most have fallen into a state of disrepair for the lack of matches and funds.
We are now trying to rejuvenate cricket. It will take some time, maybe a couple of years, before all stadiums are ready and can host international matches. With these matches, more youngsters have started to play cricket in Pakistan.
Were there doubts that the matches would not happen?
Yes, absolutely, I had sleepless nights. In the run up to the final of the PSL, the Punjab government gave clearance just six days before it had to take place.... There was a blast in the city three weeks before it. What if more bombs went off? What if the match was on and something happened two miles from the ground? The rest of the city was open. What if the umpires called off the match? Will they rush the teams out of the ground? Will the players be taken out of the country? Imagine what we all went through. We took a calculated risk.
But, now things are better. The security procedures are firmer. We have a five-year deal with Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
How far is Pakistan from hosting a Test match again?
If I am around and allowed to stick on, and we go step by step, I sense Lahore will be ready to host a Test match by the end of next year [2018]. It will take 2-3 years for a full-fledged Test series to happen.
What is your opinion of ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, given that ICC is keen to see cricket return to Pakistan?
When he was with BCCI he had entered into a dialogue with Pakistan to restart Indo-Pak cricket. It was extremely unfortunate for us that he could not complete his term there.
But, he is not popular with his home board.
Manohar still wants to see something like that, but the ball is in the BCCI’s court.
Do you think the ICC’s proposed Test Championship and ODI league will be successful without India and Pakistan playing each other?
The BCCI’s position is that it will not play any cricket with us in a bilateral series. They are, however, ready to play Pakistan in ICC events and multilateral competitions. In the Test Championship, the rule is that you have to forfeit points if you are unable to play any country. I feel the BCCI will cross the bridge when it comes to it. We are not OK with it. We want to play India in a bilateral series. The BCCI thinks it won’t be penalised in the Test Championship, if we were to face off against each other.
But, India forfeited its points against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s ODI championship league and had to play a qualifier to make it to the World Cup.
In the Women’s World Cup qualifying, the ICC had asked to give evidence that the government had stopped them from playing Pakistan women’s team. They could not, and, therefore, they forfeited the points. They cannot take that route again, surely.
What about the Asia Cup that could be in India next year?
As far as Asia Cup is concerned, there are things yet to be discussed. It is absolutely vital that the two countries play against each other. There is no doubt that India-Pakistan is the most exciting series, much ahead of the Ashes. It is also important, both, in terms of eyeballs and financial health of the two boards.
http://www.theweek.in/theweek/sports/najam-sethi-interview-chairman-pakistan-cricket-board.html
