"Our agenda is to bring international cricket to Pakistan" : Najam Sethi

[MenInG]

Najam Sethi speaking to the press today:

"WI team will travel to Pakistan in last week of November"

"They will play 3 T20I in Pakistan"

"Dates of this tour will be announced later"

"The CWI have released a short statement at 3pm PST"

"I am reading the statement, it says"

"CWI & PCB are in discussions that will see the WI play 3 T20 matches with Pakistan cricket team in Lahore in November 2017.The tour will be subject to safe conclusion of ICC World XI tour in September and full review of security by ICC's International Security Agency which will oversee the tour"

"In three months we will have a World XI tour, we will have SL team coming here and then this WI tour"

"Our agenda is to bring international cricket to Pakistan"

"This is a big agenda and we need your prayers and support"

"We had promised to the people that international cricket will return to Pakistan, this was a hard objective, but we are getting positive responses now. This is the brief announcement I wanted to make in front of you"

"Look now in 3 months, 3 teams are travelling to Pakistan. Sri Lanka Cricket Board has said that if World XI tour is successful, we will come and Cricket West Indies have said if these two tours are successful we will come to Pakistan"

"Let's hope that security and conditions in Lahore remain solid as they were before and I hope all these tours will be successful. So far all signals are good"

"Whenever we talk to teams and tell them one or two matches should be played in Karachi, they tell us that you have proven that Lahore is safe by hosting PSL final there. You should first hold PSL matches in Karachi and then we will come there also"

"As of now let's not get into all of this, teams who are coming to Pakistan should be welcomed"

"I am planning to go to Karachi and meet CM and work with him on a project so that next year we will be able to hold 1 or 2 PSL matches in Karachi as well. By that way Karachi will become another venue to teams who will come to Pakistan"

"We have to bring PSL to Pakistan, we have to bring International cricket to Pakistan"

"We have to work on game development, fundraising and we will do all these things but it will take some time"

"Also, I am working towards professionalising PCB, this is a big responsibility and we can't be lazy or diplomatic in this regard"

"Inshallah, we will inject new and fresh blood in PCB, you guys will see it and we will fulfill all the promises we have made"

"ICC will only pay for security agency they have hired."

"The security personnel will travel to Pakistan frequently for a span of three years and cost will be paid by ICC "

"Apart from that all the expenses will be borne by PCB and the revenue generated will also be ours"

"We had a big problem, when we approached WI players to play in Pakistan, they told us to talk with player's association and when we talked with player's association they told us they will allow players if FICA gives a green signal. We were approaching this problem from wrong end, so I decided we have to sort this problem first."

"The members of the security team who are coming to Pakistan at the end of August are associated with FICA, so FICA will accept the report of security team, whatever report is prepared by security team, FICA will have to accept that."

"World XI will come to Pakistan and play 3 t20i in 4 days. I am not giving you dates because security team has told us to wait they arrive."

"As far as SL is concerned they have told us that they will play one match or a maximum of 2 matches but we are trying our best to make it three, so it can be 1 match, 2 matches and three matches as well, lets wait for now"

"We had told SL for a full series but they told us that they aren't ready for it yet, they told us to first demonstrate that Pakistan is safe for international cricket by holding these T20 matches."

"It was difficult to motivate Sri Lanka because ultimately it was them who were the victims. A lot of Srinlankan ex-players, ex-captains and former Board officials have opposed this move of SLC but MR.Thilanga took a strong stance and showed how big hearted he is."

"The security team of ICC will arrive here at the end of August or start of September and stay till the World XI tour completes."

"Since these are our home matches therefore match officials will also be hired by PCB."

"I have talked to CPL and COUNTY management and they are very happy that we have taken such a step, they are very happy about it."

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi said on Monday that 15 players from seven countries have agreed to visit Pakistan as part of the World XI squad set to play a three-match T20 series in Lahore next month.

Sethi, addressing a press conference, said, "Players from England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have agreed to play the World XI tournament in Pakistan. India, however, has declined to send its players."

"We had a big problem, when we approached West Indies players to play in Pakistan, they told us to talk with player's association and when we talked with player's association they told us they will allow players if FICA gives a green signal. We were approaching this problem from wrong end, so I decided we have to sort this problem first. The members of the security team who are coming to Pakistan at the end of August are associated with FICA, so FICA will accept the report of security team, whatever report is prepared by security team, FICA will have to accept that."

Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower, who will coach the World XI, has been assigned to select the squad for the tour, which is financially supported by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"A security team from ICC will visit Pakistan at the end of this month to view our security plans," Sethi said, adding that the Punjab government has given the PCB a green signal for the implementation of the plan.

Sethi added that all the matches would take place in Lahore, "even though it is my wish that we conduct some matches in Karachi."

"Unfortunately, wherever I go, they tell me they are willing to send their players to Lahore as we successfully conducted the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final here. However, they [do] say that if we are able to conduct some PSL matches in Karachi next time, they will reconsider that option too," the PCB chief explained.

"At the moment, we will focus on what we have right now and conduct the tournament in Lahore."

Discussing the return of international cricket to Pakistan, Sethi said: "Sri Lanka has agreed to visit Pakistan if we are able to conduct the World XI tour successfully."

“Cricket West Indies and PCB are in talks that will see the Windies visiting Pakistan for a three-match T20 series in Lahore in November,” Sethi said, adding that the tour will be “subject to the safe conclusion of the World XI series.”

On June 24, following the conclusion of its annual meeting in London, the ICC had announced that plans for World XI to be held in Pakistan later this year were “continuing to be developed”.

The ICC board had agreed to support a three-game Twenty20 series between Pakistan and a World XI side in a bid to help revive international cricket in the country.

Pakistan cricket team's Head Coach Mickey Arthur has shown great interest in the series and hopes that the tour of the World XI will bring Pakistan a step closer to reviving international cricket.

With the exception of a Zimbabwe tour two years ago, Pakistan has had to play all home matches outside of the country after a 2009 terrorist attack in Lahore on a bus carrying the Sri Lankan team wiped out the possibility of international level matches to be held in the country.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1352981/w...tries-to-visit-pakistan-next-month-says-sethi

 

[abdulrafay33]

*Not Pakistan only Lahore

 

[mmkextreme_1]

*Not Pakistan only Lahore

What do you want the PCB to do if teams are not willing to travel to other cities currently? Read the OP.

"Whenever we talk to teams and tell them one or two matches should be played in Karachi, they tell us that you have proven that Lahore is safe by hosting PSL final there. You should first hold PSL matches in Karachi and then we will come there also"

Right now, Lahore has established that safety net internationally. Let's hope with time other cities will be added too. Please don't make this a regional debate. Lahore is a part of Pakistan!

 

[abdulrafay33]

What do you want the PCB to do if teams are not willing to travel to other cities currently? Read the OP.

"Whenever we talk to teams and tell them one or two matches should be played in Karachi, they tell us that you have proven that Lahore is safe by hosting PSL final there. You should first hold PSL matches in Karachi and then we will come there also"

Right now, Lahore has established that safety net internationally. Let's hope with time other cities will be added too. Please don't make this a regional debate. Lahore is a part of Pakistan!

I am more than happy for Lahore but Sethi has already said that Karachi is not ready for PSL 3 final so how are they gonna convince international teams that Karachi is also safe when they themselves dont consider Karachi safe..

 

[saeed5646]

exciting news great job by icc ,giles clarke and pcb

 

[Leo23]

I am more than happy for Lahore but Sethi has already said that Karachi is not ready for PSL 3 final so how are they gonna convince international teams that Karachi is also safe when they themselves dont consider Karachi safe..

psl 3 final will be in lahore but karachi will also host a couple of matches

 

[pakistani pride]

Too much talk. First do things in the right way and then talk.

 

[Yaasir]

Even though the last few bomb blasts have sadly taken place in Lahore...the fact remains Lahore is still the second safest city in Pakistan. First being Islamabad, but unfortunately there is no Cricket stadium there.

With Shehbaz Sharif as chief minister, and Najam Sethi also being based out of Lahore...they can witness the security protocols first hand and ensure everything is going as planned.

Lahore safe city project is a brilliant initiative taken by the Punjab government and it will play a huge role in making sure these series go smoothly. Obviously, without the support of the Army, none of this would have been possible.

I'm sure the ISI and Military have given the PCB the green signal for these series and they are confident that they can provide proper security to visiting teams and officials in Lahore.

 

[PakLFC]

I will respect Najam a lot if he can return and sustain Cricket in Pak.

 

[moghul]

*Not Pakistan only Lahore

Last time I checked Lahore was in Pakistan, what school did you go to ?

 

[moghul]

Sethi is a good administrative, although a "little bit" corrupt. Hope he will manage this target well, good luck and best wishes.

 

[abdulrafay33]

Last time I checked Lahore was in Pakistan, what school did you go to ?

so Pakistan only means Lahore?what about other cities

 

[sali]

Looks like Sethi negotiated a potential 3 T20s from WI board in return for sending the players back for CPL. Everyone could see that his hastily organized T20 national championship will have problems.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Agendas, Agendas and just agendas.

When would you actually work to repair the cricketing structure in the country?

When would you actually start to build good academies for all age groups across the country?

Just one obsession, let's show the world Pakistan can host international cricket or keep begging India to play.

 

[asfandyar]

Even though the last few bomb blasts have sadly taken place in Lahore...the fact remains Lahore is still the second safest city in Pakistan. First being Islamabad, but unfortunately there is no Cricket stadium there.

With Shehbaz Sharif as chief minister, and Najam Sethi also being based out of Lahore...they can witness the security protocols first hand and ensure everything is going as planned.

Lahore safe city project is a brilliant initiative taken by the Punjab government and it will play a huge role in making sure these series go smoothly. Obviously, without the support of the Army, none of this would have been possible.

I'm sure the ISI and Military have given the PCB the green signal for these series and they are confident that they can provide proper security to visiting teams and officials in Lahore.

Players with accompanying armed guards are in more danger from suicide bombers, than mobile snatchers and target killers. The attack that tarnished Pakistan's image as a cricketing host also took place in Lahore. If there is anything preventing PSL matches and subsequent international matches from taking place in Karachi, it's petty politics. Even the mayor of Karachi has assured fool-proof security. What more do they need? A tank with each player?

 

[UN talkz]

I am more than happy for Lahore but Sethi has already said that Karachi is not ready for PSL 3 final so how are they gonna convince international teams that Karachi is also safe when they themselves dont consider Karachi safe..

"I am planning to go to Karachi and meet CM and work with him on a project so that next year we will be able to hold 1 or 2 PSL matches in Karachi as well. By that way Karachi will become another venue to teams who will come to Pakistan" : Najam Sethi