ISLAMABAD: Former captain and Pakistan’s cricket ambassador to China, Javed Miandad, has suggested that Pakistan should play its home series in China as it will help promote the game in the country.
“At a time when cricket playing nations are reluctant to visit Pakistan, I think China is another option for us to play our home series,” he said on Tuesday.
Foreign cricket teams have refused to play in Pakistan citing security concerns after the armed attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore last year.
He said the people of China wanted to promote cricket in their country, which was the most popular game of the subcontinent.
“They want to promote cricket in their country and need our help. I think the best thing we can do is to hold our matches there,” he suggested.
Miandad said the cricket stadium at the Guangdong University of Technology, where the Twenty20 International cricket tournament in the Asian Games was held, was suitable for all kinds of international matches.
The ground had an 80-metre boundary, seven pitches and other facilities which suit international standards, he added.
Miandad said Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt during his visit to China was astonished by the quality of the ground and facilities being provided.
He said Ijaz Butt had also desired to make China as one of the venues to host Pakistan’s home series.
The former captain said China had great talent of cricket and their future in the game was bright.
“I have been looking after their cricketing affairs for the past two years. Although they are new to the game, they have the potential to improve,” he remarked.
Pakistan and China had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for promotion of cricket during President Asif Ali Zardari’s first visit to China, as head of the state, a couple of years ago.
Under the MoU, Pakistan agreed to provide all necessary assistance to China for promotion of the game.
After that, both the countries gave important assignments to Miandad with Pakistan appointing him ambassador to Cricket China while China making him senior advisor to the China Cricket Association.
The cricket great said Pakistan was also considering sending a group of former players to train Chinese youth.
He said the International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council had also asked cricket playing nations to help China and the United States of America to promote the game.
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