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| Twenty20 match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters |
The Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase has declared Pakistan safe for international cricket after two matches of the five-game tour and urged Test-playing nations to revisit their decision to shun the troubled country.
Since the 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Test teams have refused to tour Pakistan, leaving the national side to play most of their “home” matches in the United Arab Emirates. The ICC also refused to send match officials to the country for the Zimbabwe series.
Manase said he was given the green light for the tour from Zimbabwe defence officials and was happy with the tight security laid on after both Twenty20 internationals passed without trouble.
“I would like to indicate to the world – especially the Test-playing nations – that Pakistan is a safe country to play cricket,” Manase told the ESPNcricinfo website. “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.“
Manase denied there was any reluctance in the Zimbabwe squad, who lost both the T20 matches.
“I can tell you that players were never reluctant. They were always ready to go, we never had any dissent within,” Manase said. “All players who were selected did come. We are safe, the players are safe and there is no problem.”
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