Desparation: PCB may approach Bangladesh for ODIs

[suraj]

KARACHI: After failing to rope in India or Sri Lanka, Pakistan are now eyeing the lowest-ranked of the South Asian Test-playing nations to help them fill in their Future Tour Programme (FTP) gap next month. A Pakistan Cricket Board official told ‘The News’ on Tuesday that the PCB may approach the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to fix a series of One-day Internationals (ODIs) in mid March in a bid to avoid a barren home season this spring. Pakistan are hoping that world champions Australia will tour here for a Test and ODI series according to the FTP in spite of expressing security concerns.But even if the visit goes ahead, it has already been decided by the PCB and Cricket Australia (CA) that the tour will be shortened by at least 18 days. The Australians were initially scheduled to begin the tour from March 10 but will now arrive on March 29 if their security experts give a green signal to the visit early next month.Following a new wave of violence in the country that included a suicide bombing in Rawalpindi on Monday which resulted in the killing of a top Army officer and several others, there are renewed fears that the Australians might decided against touring Pakistan. If that happens, Pakistan will be left without any international assignment till June. It was because of such fears that top PCB officials had approached India and Sri Lanka to line up additional one-dayers. After initially responding positively, the Indian cricket board turned down an invitation to play three ODIs in Pakistan in mid March saying that it was impossible for them to squeeze in such a tour in their hectic international schedule. Sri Lanka were also too busy to add any new tour of Pakistan in their schedule but agreed to play one-dayers in 2009. “The problem is that almost all the Test-playing nations are already too busy at the moment,†said Shafqat Naghmi, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer. “But there is a possibility that Bangladesh could be available. We can explore that option,†he added. Bangladesh are currently hosting South Africa for a Test series.

[Kartikey]

Theek Hai. Just hope they dont go on a lap of honour if they sweep the series.

[Laaloo]

this time theyll have a parade

[fineleg]

PP will be excited :hysterical:

[Dravid]

Theek Hai. Just hope they dont go on a lap of honour if they sweep the series.

naww man... they win this and upset bangla...they deserve to do the lap of honor...:haha:

[suraj]

Pakistan will lose to bangladesh then they will invite Ireland :giggle:

[Laaloo]

Pakistan will lose to bangladesh then they will invite Ireland :giggle:

nah i dont think theyll ever invite ireland even if its on dust bowls :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[cricket my love]

PCB approach Bangladesh for desperation, which is fine and this is their right. But other cricket boards usually go to play with them for the sake to improve the records of their legend players.

[Rajiv]

I see the words but all I hear is waaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh.:cry_smile::cry_smile: *erects flame shield*

This above line would better suit here

[kablooee87]

This above line would better suit here

care to explain? Have the whining characteristics rubbed off on me?

[Rajiv]

Your shield was more appropriate here, whine? no...I just tell

[DomainK]

PCB is so desperate for matches right now. Why cant they relax? Cant they live a few days without some matches?

[King]

Can't blame them. They need to play some cricket at home to keep cricket public entertained. I really think one of the cricketing nations need to extend a helping hand otherwise yet another cricketing nation will end up in the dumps. That definitely is not good for cricket in general.

[mhr123]

But I heard Kiwis, Windies agree to play in Pakistan http://www.cricketnext.com/news/kiwis-windies-agree-to-play-in-pakistan/29940-13.html