Zimbabwe should cancel its tour to Pakistan: Former Indian Wicket Keeper Kiran More

Lahore: Former Indian Wicket Keeper Kiran More has asked Zimbabwe Cricket Authorities to revisit its decision to tour to Pakistan.

Although Zimbabwe Cricket Officials did not speak a single word but Pakistani Channels expressed height of irresponsibility by broadcasting the news as a breaking news that Zimbabwe has cancelled its tour to Pakistan.

Kiran More suggested that Pakistan can’t be considered safe so Zimbabwe should cancel its tour to Pakistan.

PCB has also denied the news and said that Zimbabwe has not informed them in this regard.

Zimbabwe will be touring Pakistan between the 19th of May and the 1st of June this year.

The tour will comprise three One-Day International (ODI) and two Twenty20 International (T20I) matches, to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

“I am grateful to my counterpart in Zimbabwe Cricket, Wilson Manase, for acceding to our request of sending a full side on a tour to Pakistan.

“This will be an auspicious moment for Pakistan cricket and I am positive that it will open doors of international cricket in Pakistan. Kenya have already been here for five matches against Pakistan ‘A’ and I am indeed confident that Zimbabwe’s incident-free tour shall be the harbinger of more and more associate and full member nations visiting us in the months and years to come”, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Muhammad Khan is quoting as saying, in a board news release.

“I can confirm that Zimbabwe will be touring Pakistan in May. I am not in any doubt that the PCB will be looking after us well. That has been assured. I have been in touch with the PCB President Mr Khan, whom I have the greatest respect for,” Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Wilson Manase told a news conference in Harare on Thursday.

Ahead of the tour, ZC will send a team including a representative of the players to assess the security arrangements which have been put in place by the PCB with the full backing and support of the Punjab government and various provincial and federal law enforcement agencies.

“We are touring Pakistan as a measure of establishing bilateral relations between us and them. They will also come to Zimbabwe in August,” Alistair Campbell, the ZC managing director – cricket, told the news conference in Harare.

A Zimbabwe practice squad is training in Harare, and will be reduced to the travelling party in due course.

The ZC chairman also announced that a long-time supporter of the game in the country, Croco Motors, has sponsored a sports utility vehicle to be used by national coach Davenell Whatmore.

Tour Itinerary, all matches at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore
May 19: Zimbabwe arrive
May 22: First T20I
May 24: Second T20I
May 26: First ODI
May 29: Second ODI
May 31: Third ODI
June 01: Zimbabwe depart