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‘India, Pak must stand together now’
The newly-appointed Director General of PCB, Javed Miandad, has extended support to the Indian board, saying Pakistan are keen to play in India and that India should reciprocate the same way by visiting Pakistan in January next year, reports Bivabasu Kumar.
In the wake of the recent terror strikes that many fear could turn India into a pariah for world cricket, the newly-appointed Director General of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Javed Miandad, has extended support to the Indian board, saying Pakistan are keen to play in India and that India should reciprocate the same way by visiting Pakistan in January next year.
Speaking to the Hindustan Times from Lahore on Monday, Miandad said: “Both India and Pakistan are victims of terrorism and cricket will bridge the gap between the two nations.”
Miandad said the Indian government shouldn’t resort to any knee-jerk reaction and should allow the Indian cricket team to visit Pakistan for the proposed January 4 to February 19 tour next year, else India might be isolated.
“Pakistan have gone through the same ordeal and have suffered not just economically but in terms of cricket too. Our players are starved of international matches and this is the right time for India and Pakistan to complement each other,” Miandad said.
“The English team is sulking and the Champions League is also cancelled. This is the right time for the Asian bloc to show some solidarity by coming together and assuring the world that the sub-continent is safe for cricket.”
Miandad said this is the first time that an all-cricket body is in power in the PCB and everybody, including the Chief Operating Officer Saleem Altaf, Ejaz Butt (Board chairman), Abdul Qadir (chief selector), Aamir Sohail (Director of Academies in Pakistan), Intikhab Alam (national coach of Pakistan) and Aquib Javed (assistant coach) are concentrating at improving cricket in the country.
“Terrorism is a persisting problem and we are even trying to formulate a strategy to give the best security cover to visiting teams. We understand the fear factor and have, therefore, hit upon this plan, which will be sent to the government for ratification soon enough.”
The former Pakistan batsman said he chose the Director General’s post as he felt there was an urgent need to structure cricket in Pakistan. “I am in the process of setting up strict rules and regulations for players and people in the management to adhere to. No reckless behaviour and indiscipline will be tolerated henceforth.”
