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MULTAN: The final itinerary for the forthcoming Indian cricket
team's tour to Pakistan and the question whether Multan would
get any match would be finalized after completion of visit of
three-member delegation of Indian Cricket Board arriving
Pakistan on Saturday.
This was stated by
chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Sheheryar Khan while
addressing a press conference here on Thursday after paying
his first ever visit to Multan Cricket Stadium to look for
possibilities to arrange a match of the series there.
He appreciated
Indian team's performance against Australia but said, its
always a different story when it comes to cricket contests
between India and Pakistan. Pakistan team would fight the
traditional rivals the way it always did and the series would
be a tough challenge for both teams, he added.
"The Indian
cricket board delegation would arrive Pakistan the day after
tomorrow. Though Indians have expressed no major objections
over the tour itinerary already submitted by the PCB. Rather
they told us to do whatever suitable, however, the final
itinerary would be made public after consulting the Indian
delegation", said the PCB Chief.
The delegation
would visit the Test centres in Pakistan to review
arrangements for forthcoming Pakistan-India series in March
this year. The Indian team would be offered the security even
better than what was arranged for the last touring team,
Sheheryar Khan said. South Africa, the last team that visited
Pakistan were happy with the security arrangements and we are
going to improve them further, he added.
Giving his
observations about Multan Cricket Stadium, he said, "It is a
fantastic playing facility and I am proud of it." "It is
comparable to any world class stadiums in the different
countries I have visited", he said. However, International
Cricket Council (ICC) have some strict rules about a Test
station including ground condition, accommodation and
security. Ground of Multan Cricket Stadium is best, security
situation is also up to the mark, however, the city does not
have a four or five star luxury hotel, he said.
"I have visited
the only hotel in the city and found it good. But not good
enough for an International Cricket Team as though it has
swimming pool but no facilities like squash and tennis
courts", he added. "I wish that the Indian team should start
its series from Multan and PCB would talk to them on the
matter, however, the final decision would be taken after
consulting the Indian board that whether Multan would get any
match three-day, one-day or a Test."
The PCB Chairman
said, he has heard that another hotel would be constructed in
Multan and hoped that it would at least be a four star luxury
one to meet ICC accommodation standards. He hoped there would
be no match fixing in future given the present strict ICC
rules and resolve of PCB to fight it out, if any, among
Pakistan players.
When asked about a
report by the ICC Anti Corruption Unit regarding alleged
involvement of Pakistan players in match fixing during a
tournament in Morroco, he said, it was a very old matter.
"Firstly I would like to say that it was a matter of leakage
of a confidential document which is regrettable. The leakage
occurred in Britain and not in Pakistan."
He said, former
PCB Chairman Lt Gen (rtd) Tauqir Zia had informed him about a
telephonic conversation with the ACU on the matter. He said,
PCB would look at the official letter and take appropriate
action accordingly in the light of evidence, if any, placed on
record by the ACU on the matter.
He, however, added
that no Pakistan player was under observation these days. The
PCB Chairman had also visited three other grounds and held
meetings with the delegation of Multan Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and presidents and general secretaries of fourteen
district cricket associations of Multan Region.
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