LAHORE: President, West Indies Cricket Board, David Cameroon has assured that Windies cricket team will be visiting Pakistan in November to help resumption of international cricket in the country.
He gave this assurance at a news conference along with Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi on Friday night at the Gadaffi stadium here.
“I am confident that our team will play three T20 international during its tour to Pakistan and the most difficult task is to convince the players to undertake the visit”, he said adding after the positive report of the ICC security company which would be reviewing security arrangements in Pakistan West Indies team would visit Pakistan.
He said two players of the West Indies ,Samuel Badree and Darren Sammy were the part of the World XI which played a three-math T20 series here in Lahore and he was also in Lahore and would try to persuade the team members to visit Pakistan.
“I am feeling myself safe here without any security issue but the players will be waiting and relying on the reports of the security company and the ICC”, David Cameroom saod.
He said Darren Saamy had visited Pakistan twice and their security teams had witnessed security arrangements in the PSL final and now in the world XI tour and security was very good in Pakistan which was an ideal host country and in the given circumstances he was sure that his tam would visit the country in November.
To a question, he said ICC was supporting and helping the PCB in the return of international cricket in Pakistan.
“West Indies faced problems, first tsunami hit us which caused damage to our island country then our cricket board faced financial problems and during our hard time, PCB extended support to us and now it is our obligation to lend support to PCB”.
“We will be deciding the number of matches to be played in Pakistan with mutual understanding and discussions are also underway to play test matches”, he added.
West Indies Cricket Board President said the successful tour of the World XI will be an effective medium to motivate other foreign teams to visit Pakistan in near future.
Najam Sehti said David Cameroon had been convinced to send West Indies cricket team to visit Pakistan in November.
He said when PCB extended invitation to the West Indies Cricket Board regarding the visit of their team to Pakistan.
David Cameroon pointed out that a lot of home work had to be done prior to this tour in order to make things conducive.
“First of all we have to convince the West Indies players, then we need a positive report from cricket players association to grant permission to the payers for the tour after which West Indies team can visit”, he said adding “We have fulfilled all the proposals put up by the West Indies board and we are confident that their team will visit Pakistan, keeping in view the tour of World XI as well”.
Njam Sethi said PCB was striving for the cause of international cricket in Pakistan and it had the backing of the ICC in this regard and it was a big step forward for the resumption of international cricket in the country that games ruling body sent its World XI.
“I am confident that Sri Lankan team will be visiting next month and then West Indies will also play international cricket here”, he said.
