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ASIAN ADVENTURE . . . Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase stresses a point at a media conference in Harare yesterday where he confirmed that the national team will tour Pakistan next month

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE cricket coach Dav Whatmore has welcomed the upcoming tour to Pakistan where the team is set to play two Twenty20 matches and a three-match ODI series. The national team will become the first nation in six years to tour the country since the Sri Lanka team was attacked by extremists during a tour in 2009.

Zimbabwe is expected in Pakistan from May 19 up to June 1 and will play all the matches at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Whatmore, whose four-year deal to continue as the Zimbabwe coach was confirmed yesterday, has since started preparing for the tour with an enlarged squad.

The players this week received the remainder of their dues in match fees owed from last year.

The 61-year old coach said the tour presents a good opportunity to establish strong cricket ties with the other teams.

“I am looking forward to it very much. You have heard the positive knock on effects from not just this particular tour but for Zimbabwe Cricket to ensure that we continue to have good relations with other cricket nations,” said Whatmore.

Talks between Zimbabwe and Pakistan started last year but security concerns remained the major sticking point.

Pakistan suspended games on home soil and were forced to adopt UAE for their home matches since the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lanka team in 2009.

However, Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase said they have received strong assurances from the Pakistan Cricket Board during the extensive discussions and from their own research.

Manase said they needed not to be too “alarmist about the situation in Pakistan.”

ZC will send a team, including a representative of the players, to assess the security arrangements which have been put in place by the PCB with the full backing and support of the Punjab government and various provincial and federal law enforcement agencies.

“We have taken cognisance of all the factors for us to arrive at this decision, so let’s not be alarmist about the situation in Pakistan,” said Manase.

“Zimbabwe Cricket, as part of its Future Touring Programme with other nations, has a duty to also tour other nations, just like they have also have a duty to tour here.

“In the past we have had constraints, some of them hinged on sanctions from other nations who felt, through their governments, they could not have relations on the sporting field with us, although sport is not a political issue.

“But I believe it’s now a thing of the past. We have discussed with most boards and everyone wants to be in Zimbabwe and we will also be touring their countries.

“With Pakistan, they have always been touring. But one important issue is that Pakistan has had a security problem in the past. As we are going to be touring Pakistan, one thing which I can assure you is that from the reports that we have heard and what we have been looking at, we have seen that there is a dramatic change of events in Pakistan.”

Zimbabwe are also set for a reciprocal tour by Pakistan in August while India and New Zealand have since confirmed their tours between July and August.

Talks with Ireland are at advanced stage while West Indies and Bangladesh are also expected in Zimbabwe later in the year.

Manase said neighbours South Africa will make a stopover on their way to Bangladesh.

He said the cricket committee was still deliberating on the selection of the Test captain to replace Brendan Taylor, who recently moved to England.

The committee is likely to take its time since Zimbabwe have no Test commitments until the end of the year when Bangladesh tours the country. Manase said they were happy with the decision to retain Whatmore, who is now expected to lead the team to the next World Cup in 2019.

Whatmore will have to decide on his backroom staff with the help of the cricket committee.

Manase also revealed that the coach will receive a vehicle from one of ZC’s traditional, sponsors Croco Motors, for use during his tenure. Andy Waller was the batting coach when the team went to the World Cup while Douglas Hondo was the bowling coach.

The same technical team is likely to be retained for the Pakistan tour while deliberations are taking place.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Mohammad Khan was grateful to the Zimbabwe counterparts for agreeing to tour.

“I am grateful to my counterpart in Zimbabwe Cricket, Wilson Manase, for acceding to our request of sending a full side on a tour to Pakistan.

“This will be an auspicious moment for Pakistan cricket and I am positive that it will open doors of international cricket in Pakistan.

“Kenya have already been here for five matches against Pakistan ‘A’ and I am indeed confident that Zimbabwe’s incident-free tour shall be the harbinger of more and more associate and full member nations visiting us in the months and years to come,” said Khan.

Tour Itinerary, all matches at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore

May 19: Zimbabwe arrive

May 22: First T20I

May 24: Second T20I

May 26: First ODI

May 29: Second ODI

May 31: Third ODI

June 01: Zimbabwe depart