QUETTA: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar M. Khan on Thursday disclosed that Afghanistan had expressed willingness to send their team to Pakistan for an international series.

Addressing a press conference here at the Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti Stadium at the end of his two-day visit to Quetta, Shaharyar said the PCB was planning to restore international cricket in the country.

During his stay in Quetta, Shaharyar met Balochistan Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai, Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and other officials concerned with whom the PCB chief discussed promotion of cricket in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.

“Afghanistan is willing to send their team to Pakistan for an international series. Moreover, the law and

order situation in Quetta has improved which is a good sign for restoring international cricket in Pakistan. Therefore, the PCB is considering staging one match of the planned Pakistan-Afghanistan series here,” Shaharyar stated.

“Four venues, including Quetta, will be suggested to Afghan cricket authorities for the said series.”

Commenting on PCB’s efforts for cricket development, he said the Board was planning to establish cricket academies in Quetta and Peshawar on the pattern of those set up in Karachi and Multan.

“Balochistan possesses immense cricketing talent and many of their youngsters have shown their skills.”

However, the PCB chairman underlined, some of them were not educated, and urged them to get education while playing cricket and other sports.

“A cricketer must be educated as it is need of the hour,” he insisted.

“In the present Pakistan team, Misbah-ul-Haq is the only one who has done his graduation whereas his colleagues are not well educated.”

He announced that the PCB would launch first-class cricket in Quetta, adding in this connection maximum facilities would be provided to Balochistan including upgradation of grounds in Quetta and other areas of the province.

“I have included Quetta, Fata and Azad Kashmir as my priority [areas],” he said.

The PCB chairman also announced to hold inter-school cricket tournament in each district of Balochistan, adding Balochistan, Fata and Azad Kashmir were being brought into mainstream national cricket.

He further said that new cricketing talent would be explored at cadet colleges across Balochistan.

“Balochistan has seven cadet colleges; and if they form their teams that will form good teams featuring educated cricketers.”

Meanwhile, responding to a question about practice of nepotism by the national selection committee in the past, Shaharyar said violation of merit would no longer be acceptable.

“There is no space for nepotism in the selection of [national team]. Team would be selected only on the basis of merit,” he emphasised.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2016