ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistan Cricket Board official said Saturday the country needs to change the perception of its security capabilities by hosting junior matches before it seeks to again stage senior international matches. “We have to start with junior tours to change perception about security (in Pakistan),” PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said. “It will give confidence to other boards and then full-fledged tours can begin.” Ahmed said negotiations with a number of cricket boards were ongoing, but added that the process could be slow and a lot will depend on the security situation in Pakistan. “We are in touch with a number of cricket boards, but this process will be gradual, not an overnight one,” he said. Pakistan has been forced to organize its home series at the United Arab Emirates and England after gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lanka cricket team in Lahore last year. Six police officials and a van driver were killed in the attack. Subsequently, the International Cricket Council stripped Pakistan of its status as co-host of next year's World Cup. Ahmed said the PCB is negotiating with Bangladesh to host its junior team and hoped something will materialize. Similar negotiations are taking place with Sri Lanka. In the meantime, Pakistan will continue to play its home matches abroad with Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE likely to serve as two of its ‘host' cities. Pakistan's recent series against South Africa was played in UAE. Pakistan is also due to host England in January 2012 and Ahmed confirmed UAE could be one of the venues. “It's a full tour with three tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game,” Ahmed said. “We have not yet decided on the venue as yet but UAE is one of the options. England have committed to it as part of Future Tour Program.” PCB director general Javed Miandad favored using China as one of the neutral venues after cricket made a successful debut in the country at last month's Asian Games at Guangzhou. But Ahmed said it was too early for the PCB to consider China as one of its ‘host' countries for international matches. “The stadium is a state of the art venue and the feedback we have is that it matches any international venue in the world,” Ahmed said. “But it's difficult to say whether we will consider it as a venue at this stage because we have to see marketing and logistics there before deciding whether it is viable.” PCB wants players to take part in IPL The Pakistan Cricket Board is keen for its players to participate in the lucrative Indian Premier League in 2011 despite being snubbed this year. Pakistani players have not participated in the last two editions of the IPL due to political tensions between the two countries although in the inaugural edition in 2008 over a dozen Pakistanis played for different franchises in the T20 league that attracts players from every cricketing nation. Last year the Indian franchises did not bid for any Pakistani cricketer at the players' auction although the PCB had sent names of around 10 players after giving them clearance. PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed told reporters Saturday that the board had contacted the Indian Cricket Board on the issue. “We have written to the Indian board that we are willing to provide any clearance to our players for the IPL,” Ahmed said. “We want Pakistani participation in the IPL, that is our official stand but obviously we need for the Indian board to talk to us.” Ahmed said that under new rules framed by the IPL no Pakistani player could take part in the league for any franchise before getting clearance from both boards. “No player can individually be approached or can approach any franchise now for a contract,” he said. The Indian government has not encouraged bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan since the militant attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
