What's new

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal formally invites English team to visit Pakistan for cricket series

Abdullah719

T20I Captain
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Runs
44,825
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has formally invited English cricket team to visit Pakistan to play a cricket series after the successful completion of the tour of West Indies and holding of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in Karachi.

The invitation was extended by the minister to UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew who called on him here on Tuesday.

According to an official handout, Mr Iqbal informed the high commissioner of the improved security situation in the country and the government’s efforts to eradicate terrorism and extremism.

He said that the international community must acknowledge the efforts of Pakistan in eradicating terrorism and extremism from society. He said a stable economy had a great role in the war against terrorism.

“The successful holding of the cricket matches in Pakistan is a clear proof that we have defeated terrorism and extremism,” the minister was quoted as having told the UK diplomat during the meeting.

Mr Iqbal and Mr Drew agreed that the Pakistani students should be given admissions to the UK universities through the “Knowledge Corridor”.

Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session of Pakistan’s first International Counter-Terrorism Forum organised by National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the interior minister said “the international community will have to understand that what Pakistan is facing today is largely due to the failure of the world powers to discharge their obligations in the region”.

Mr Iqbal said in order to improve the situation they needed to work together and not to point fingers, not to blame each other but to find opportunities of collaborations “so that we can all pool our resources to bring peace to this region that has suffered for so long”.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1399443/ahsan-iqbal-invites-english-team-for-cricket-series
 
Yes, but did ECB accept or at least offer terms? I can invite the President of the United States to my home for tea. Doesn't mean he'll come.
 
Yes, but did ECB accept or at least offer terms? I can invite the President of the United States to my home for tea. Doesn't mean he'll come.

England team has visited Pakistan before and likely to do so again in future, whereas president of united states has most likely not visited your home for tea and unlikely to do so in future :)
 
Yes, but did ECB accept or at least offer terms? I can invite the President of the United States to my home for tea. Doesn't mean he'll come.

England team has visited Pakistan before and likely to do so again in future, whereas president of united states has most likely not visited your home for tea and unlikely to do so in future :)

Also, it is the interior minister of a country requesting high commisioner of another country. Not Tom, Dickr or Harry asking US president to visit.
 
WOW. It appears the image makeover of the country is being pursued through cricket and is approached through diplomacy. Brilliant!!!
 
It is a nice gesture but very unlikely the English team will visit anytime soon.

Our best bet is to persuade the likes of WI, Bangladesh and SL to your Pakistan more frequently and hopefully do a full ODI series soon.
 
It is a nice gesture but very unlikely the English team will visit anytime soon.

Our best bet is to persuade the likes of WI, Bangladesh and SL to your Pakistan more frequently and hopefully do a full ODI series soon.

Bangladesh is not going to come. I dont know why you are obsessed with them visiting us anyways. If they do show up by some maricle it wont change minds of any cricketing nation.

Irish and Zim can be persuaded for more games as well. I think the first major cricketing nation that will break this ice will be SA, since their captain visited us for World XI.
 
Last edited:
The first step with major countries is to play a one off game instead of a series. No country will play 3 games on a trot without much practise or down time.
 
If we decide to invite them. Match should be in Multan, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi for a 3-5 ODI series
 
Back
Top