Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja is set to propose an annual quadrangular series involving India, Pakistan, England and Australia in the next International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in a bid to play regular international cricket against India, Express Tribune reported.
According to Code Sports Australia, the four-nation tournament will be proposed by the former Pakistan captain in the T20I format. The arch-rivals Pakistan and India have been deprived of playing bilateral cricket due to worsening political conditions. They last played series in India back in 2012/13.
During Najam Sethi’s regime, both cricket boards planned to play six series during the 2015/23 cycle but it didn’t happen. Pakistan and India have only played in ICC (International Cricket Council) and ACC (Asian Cricket Council) tournaments since 2013.
On the other hand, Ramiz told the publication that there is huge anticipation in Pakistan ahead of the Australian tour and that he has been heartened by recent comments from Pakistan-born Aussie batter Usman Khawaja as he privately urges teammates to travel to Pakistan, the report said.
Australia are due to visit Pakistan for three Tests, three One-day Internationals and one T20 international starting in early March. Cricket Australia (CA) are committed to the tour going ahead; the first visit of the Aussie side to the country since 1998.
If Australian players are going to Pakistan, I will go with them: ACA chief
Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief Todd Greenberg has assured the country’s cricketers that he will travel to Pakistan with them if the tour gets final approval but would respect if ‘one or two’ backs out of the trip. If the team gets security clearance to travel, it will be Australia’s first tour to Pakistan since 1998, when Mark Taylor’s side won the three-Test series 1-0.
“I’ve made an assurance to the players that they won’t go alone. If they’re going to Pakistan, I’ll be going with them and I think that’s important. It’s an opportunity to show the players that we’re in this together,” Greenberg told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The ACA accompanied Cricket Australia on a pre-tour of Pakistan late last year, and the reports were all very positive. But we’ll continue to take the advice of DFAT and other government organisations,
as we need to be able to satisfy not just the players, but their families, that it’s safe to tour.”
(with agency inputs)
