Zimpapers Logo

LAHORE. — Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase has said the landmark decision to tour Pakistan was taken after he had spoken to the country’s defence officials department and was told that it was all right to play here.

He was responding to the suggestion from several quarters that the decision to tour was taken despite advice to the contrary from the Sports and Recreation Committee.

“SRC consulted with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and someone there said it might not be safe to visit Pakistan particularly after the Karachi incident, but Karachi is different from Lahore,” Manase told ESPNcricinfo.

“I tried to see the officials in SRC and they kept on saying that they are busy, and time was obviously short for us as well as we had only two days to go before the team departs.

“So what I did was to consult with the relevant authorities in government, the defence forces – they have got the intelligence, they are the people who know what the situation is and they have given a go-ahead from that area.

“They told me it’s safe to go. Also, the team that came here to look at the situation gave a clearance and then I took the decision.”

Pakistan has been a no-go destination for major international teams since March 3, 2009, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus while it was en route to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second Test.

Zimbabwe are the first Full-Member nation to tour Pakistan in more than six years, but the ICC refused to send its match officials for the games.

Manase hopes Zimbabwe’s visit would help change the perception of Pakistan in the international cricket community.

For the nations who remain skeptical, they should have sent some delegation to come and be part of this event and watch what is happening in Pakistan.

They are watching that the grounds are so full, they are watching the security given by the government and have understood Pakistan have the capacity to take any measures for the visiting team.

“I would like to indicate to the world – especially the Test-playing nations – that Pakistan is a safe country to play cricket,” Manase said.

“We need to encourage members of the ICC to re-look at the position of not visiting Pakistan, and if they are watching how things have gone, they would realise that Pakistan, in the quest to have teams visit, have done great work to create an environment where cricket can be played safely. — Cricinfo.