Cricket News: Bangladesh agree to tour Pakistan

Cricket-Bangladesh agree to tour Pakistan

Sun, 15 Apr 12:01:00 2012

Bangladesh has agreed to tour Pakistan for two matches which would be the first full internationals in the country since March 2009 when Sri Lankan cricketers and officials were attacked by gunmen in Lahore.

Bangladesh will play one one-day international and one Twenty20 international in Lahore at the end of this month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Sunday.

The ICC board has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board to immediately provide a comprehensive security plan for consideration.

The ICC Anti Corruption and Security Unit will then commission a localised risk assessment to determine if the officials and staff are appropriately protected by the proposed security plan, before any further decision is taken in relation to their appointment.

Last month, the ICC had said it may waive its requirement for neutral match officials if the proposed series went ahead.

Under the ICC's standard playing conditions for ODIs, one of the two on-field umpires and the match referee must be drawn from countries not taking part in a match.

"The public of Pakistan have been deprived of cricket and we felt that we needed to support them," Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mustafa Kamal was quoted as saying in the statement.

"The reception we received when we toured Lahore and Karachi on our security visit was overwhelming."

PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf thanked the BCB and the Bangladesh Government for their support for the tour.

Foreign teams have continued to shun Pakistan for more than three years now after the attack which killed six Pakistani policemen and a van driver.

Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15042012/2/cricket-bangladesh-agree-tour-pakistan.html

Pakistan news: Bilateral ties hinge on tour of Pakistan

Pakistan news
Bilateral ties hinge on tour of Pakistan
Umar Farooq
March 19, 2012


The relationship between the PCB and the BCB is likely to suffer if Bangladesh do not go ahead with the proposed tour to Pakistan in April because of security concerns, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. An implicit deal had been reached by the two boards, according to which the PCB backed BCB president Mustafa Kamal as the nominee for the ICC vice-presidency and Bangladesh would tour Pakistan in 2012.

"Ultimately, its Bangladesh's loss if they don't send their team," Zaka Ashraf told ESPNcricinfo. "We are helping them and want to have a positive relationship not only with Bangladesh, but all the nations. We want to strengthen our relationship. We have been sending our players to feature in their leagues and we expect them to respect our positive approach, after all everything is on reciprocal basis."

The ICC executive board is set to consider Kamal's nomination as its next vice-president, and president in 2014 after Alan Isaac's term. And though there have been constant doubts over whether Bangladesh will tour Pakistan, the PCB is optimistic that the drought of international cricket in the country since the terror attacks on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009 will come to an end.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the BCB, despite being satisfied by the proposed security arrangements for the tour to Pakistan, is seeking some support from other countries, but none has been forthcoming. A nine-member delegation, headed by Kamal, had been sent on a two-day visit to Pakistan to observe a demonstration of the security plan for the series, and Kamal had said he was positive about the tour going ahead.

The ICC, however, introduced a special dispensation to be made in exceptional circumstances in order to ensure bilateral series take place even if the ruling body determined it unsafe to appoint its officials for such series. It would allow such series to be manned by "non-neutral match officials."

Kamal then put the future of the tour in doubt by saying, "We won't go if everything doesn't happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match-referees, umpires and all things by the ICC."

While the PCB did not respond to Kamal's comments, a board official said the BCB was being leaned on by another country. "We are informed of a third-country pressure on BCB," a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo. "We understand most of the member boards aren't keen to support our move, but we are very much clear of what would be required to give Bangladesh the confidence to come to Pakistan. And we did exactly what we have to do - we have engaged the government at the superior level to satisfy Bangladesh with the security arrangements."

Since the attacks, Pakistan have played their home bilateral series at offshore venues such as New Zealand, England and the UAE but the PCB saw no commercial advantage in hosting Bangladesh at such venues. The PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, who will be in Dhaka for the end of the Asia Cup, will make a final attempt to allay any doubts Bangladesh might have. The PCB also ruled out the possibility of talks with the BCCI. "There's no use of asking India any further," Ashraf said. "Their board doesn't want to play us and that's clearly understood."

Edited by George Binoy

Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent




Source: ESPNcricinfo

Bangladesh Cricket Board says yes to Pakistan tour, Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore, 2012, Bangladesh v Pakistan, Bangladesh news, good news pakistan, Pakistan news,

Bangladesh Cricket Board says yes to Pakistan tour
By Web Desk / AFP
Published: April 15, 2012


Bangladesh cricket team will soon be face-to-face with Pakistan in matches played at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore. PHOTO: FILE
The wait is finally over.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday confirmed its tour of Pakistan for a short one 50-over match and one Twenty20 international.
The series will revive international cricket suspended in the country three years ago.
“I am pleased to confirm the tour in which Bangladesh will play a one-day match on April 29 and a Twenty20 game the next day, both in Lahore,” Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mustafa Kamal said in a press release.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf said the confirmation is a good sign.
“I am extremely pleased that Bangladesh has confirmed the tour. Obviously this is very important for us and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that this tour takes place in a befitting manner,” said Ashraf.
The Bangladesh cricket team will soon be face-to-face with Pakistan in matches played at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Developments in the last few weeks suggested that Bangladesh was reluctant to send its team in the absence of neutral officials which the International Cricket Council (ICC) had refused to send to Pakistan.
However, the PCB remained optimistic about the Bangladesh tour and the PCB Chairman had tried convincing BCB Chairman Mustafa Kamal time and again.
Last month’s chief executive committee meeting agreed to allow local officials for the series if there existed security apprehensions over sending neutral officials. The CEC had recommended the matter to the ICC for approval.






Source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/365116/bangladesh-cricket-board-says-yes-to-pakistan-tour/

Amir to focus on ICC ban appeal

Pakistan news
Amir to focus on ICC ban appeal
Umar Farooq
February 26, 2012

Mohammad Amir is set to quickly start the process of trying to rescue his cricket career after returning to Pakistan following the completion of his sentence for spot-fixing. ESPNcricinfo understands that one of his early aims is to pursue his appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) against the five-year ban handed out by the ICC.

Amir returned to Pakistan on Saturday after being released from a young offenders' institute in Dorset after serving half of a six-month sentence handed down in November. The CAS, based in Switzerland, registered Amir's appeal in March 2011 - filed at the same time as those of Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt - after an ICC tribunal had banned the trio from playing any level of cricket.

The CAS is yet to announce a panel to hear the appeal and that will only be formed once Amir takes the process further. The appeal has been delayed because of the criminal charges involved and the sentences imposed.

"It's only the CAS now, which has the right to hear the appeal against the decision," PCB legal advisor, Taffazul Rizvi told ESPNcricinfo. "And any decision made by CAS shall be binding on all."

The PCB is not liable to provide a player financial aid while they pursue a case before the CAS, but the PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has previously hinted that Amir would be given support while undergoing rehabilitation. "All offences against which the players were accused off were in their personal capacity for their personal acts so therefore they will face these (CAS) proceeding in their own personal capacity," added Rizvi.

"The cases will be handled in accordance with the procedural rules set out in the code of sports-related arbitration," CAS said in a statement when the appeals were lodged. "The parties will first exchange written submissions and will then be heard at a hearing, the date of which will be fixed at a later stage."

Amir will work with London-based solicitor Sajida Malik to draw up the appeal after Malik accompanied Amir back to Pakistan. Both avoided the media on their arrival in Lahore and remained shut away at Amir's home during the day.

The PCB are likely to put Amir into an education programme as part of his rehabilitation but are also keen to talk to him about the spot-fixing case. Under ICC regulations if a player who has been banned wants to return to cricket he must have gone through a rehabilitation course. As the PCB was his employer when the incidents occurred - Amir held a central contract - they can also decide to hold further investigations although Rizvi said it was a complicated process.

"As far as launching any further inquiry at this point that is something we need to look into," he said. "He has already been found guilty and sentenced from two different forums and is undergoing the sentences. It's not a simple matter and is legally complicated. But the PCB does hold the right to investigate the player."

Edited by Andrew McGlashan

Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent
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