The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying to persuade Cricket Australia to play two match ODI series next year in Pakistan before the World Cup in England. PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said that the five-match series is scheduled to be held in UAE sometime in late March and early April and PCB was trying to persuade the Australians to play two games in Pakistan.
“Since we will be hosting the Australians, we have told them try to play two matches in Pakistan. The process is on but nothing is final as yet.”
Australia has not played in Pakistan since 1998. Australia’s top batsmen, Steve Smith and David Warner will also complete their 12-month bans at the end of March and should be playing against Pakistan before the World Cup.
Ehsan Mani said that to persuade top teams to play in Pakistan it was a matter of changing perceptions about the situation in Pakistan. “Once anyone comes to Pakistan and views the situation by himself, it will not be hard to convince him that international cricket can return to Pakistan properly. But it is not easy trying to change the perception of people who have not been to Pakistan in recent times,” he said.
