Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi said Friday he wanted his cricket board to stop advocating for a Test series against India and concentrate more on persuading other teams to tour Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still waiting for the green light from its Indian counterpart for December’s planned Test and limited-overs series in the United Arab Emirates. Both countries’ cricket boards have signed an agreement to play at least six times from 2015-2023, but the India board needs its government’s approval to revive cricketing ties with Pakistan. Afridi said Pakistan-India series was “bigger than the Ashes” but added that Pakistan should move on if India does not want to play. Cricketing ties between the countries have been snapped by border and political tension. “I don’t know why we are pushing for series against India again and again,” Afridi told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium here during Pakistan’s short training camp ahead of next week’s limited-overs tour to Zimbabwe. “I don’t see any reason to play against India if they don’t want to play. We have invited them and if they do not want to play then it shouldn’t be any worry, we are still happy.”

The last time both teams played a Test series was in 2007 when Pakistan toured India. Pakistan last hosted India for a Test series in 2006. Pakistan have scheduled Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe, England and New Zealand ahead of the World Twenty20 tournament in India next March and April, after which Afridi will quit playing the shortest cricket format. Afridi has already stopped playing ODIs following Pakistan’s loss in the quarterfinals of the Cricket World Cup in Australia in March. Pakistan cricket selectors have included rookie left-arm fast bowler Imran Khan Jr. and offspinner Bilal Asif for the two Twenty20s against Zimbabwe later this month in order to start getting ready for next year’s event in India. “The idea is to try out new players and there are number of players who impressed me in National Twenty20 tournament this week,” Afridi said. Imran took 16 wickets in the tournament and played a key role in the final when his Peshawar squad won the trophy over the Karachi side led by Afridi. Asif took nine wickets in the national tournament.

Afridi wants PSL in Pakistan: In May, Zimbabwe became the first Test country to tour Pakistan since 2009, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus. The Zimbabweans played three ODIs and two Twenty20s in Lahore. With top-level international cricket a rarity in Pakistan, Afridi said it would have been better if the PCB had decided to host next February’s inaugural Twenty20 Pakistan Super League at home instead of choosing Doha, Qatar, as the venue. The PSL should be held within the country, with or without overseas players. As we were talking about the revival of cricket in Pakistan after the Zimbabwe tour to Pakistan, we started to hope that cricket would continue to be played here. Our cricket should be played within our own territory. It looks good if our grounds get revived, filled with crowds and our own players get the maximum benefit out of it.”

The PSL had initially contacted top agencies handling over 100 international players to consider playing in Pakistan. The response was overwhelmingly negative, which forced the PSL to be held outside Pakistan. The Zimbabwe tour in May was widely propagated as heralding the revival of international cricket in Pakistan, but a suicide attack near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore during the second ODI meant the rest of the cricket world remained unconvinced. Though Zimbabwe stayed on to play the third and final ODI, the incident ruined the efforts made to revive international cricket in Pakistan.

Last month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally zeroed in on Doha as the venue for the PSL, for which prominent T20 players such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have signed up. Afridi, however, said that what mattered more than overseas signings was that young Pakistan cricketers should get the chance to play at home. “I am not worried if foreign players come or not, but what is important is the revival of cricket in Pakistan and (that) our youngsters get opportunity to play in front of big crowds,” Afridi said. “It isn’t possible that we invite foreigners and they do not come. I spoke to some players and they are ready to come. If we give good offers to foreign players I don’t see any reason why they won’t come. The circumstances of our country are getting better and better.”

The Pakistan limited-overs squads are presently undergoing a conditioning camp at Gaddafi Stadium. Pakistan are set to play two T20s and three ODIs against Zimbabwe from September 27 to October 5. The trip is meant to reciprocate the Zimbabwe tour to Pakistan earlier this year. Afridi said Pakistan were not underestimating their opponents. “Obviously no doubt they are a fine side. I never underestimate any team especially in T20 format as once the game slips out of your hand it’s really hard to fight back.

They are playing so well and I have seen their recent performances. They are in form as a team. Playing at their home ground in their own conditions is always tough. Even the matches here in Pakistan, in our home series, we never won them with ease. “We are preparing and the series is allowing us to try many new faces ahead of the World T20. There are many players who impressed me in this (domestic) T20 cup but we can’t afford to make many changes at once. We are going to make a settled side ahead of the World T20.” Pakistan will depart from Lahore for Harare on September 23.