ICC has no objection to Pakistan hosting Bangladesh

ICC has no objection to Pakistan hosting Bangladesh
Updated on

Summary Rule of neutral umpires at international matches could be relaxed to facilitate Pak-Bdesh series.

This has been said by an International Cricket Council committee on Wednesday. The committee, in other words, said it doent have any objection to Pakistan hosting Bangladesh.Pakistan has not hosted international cricket since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team at Lahore in March 2009 and the team has since played home matches in the United Arab Emirates.Bangladesh is keen to be the opposition for the Pakistan teams return home next month and the ICC Chief Executives Committee says allowing umpires from the two countries would overcome any ICC concerns for the safety of neutral officials.The CEC regarded this as an exceptional circumstance in which the appointment to matches of non-neutral match officials could be justified but stated clearly that it should not to be regarded as a preferred option or precedent if the dispensation were to be granted, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.The committee reaffirmed that it was the participating countries, not the ICC, which would determine whether a particular tour takes place.Lorgat sent a letter to the Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards on Monday stating the ICCs position after Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mustafa Kamal said Sunday he would approach the ICC for approval to tour Pakistan.Pakistan has proposed playing either three one-day internationals or two ODIs and a Twenty20 in April. Lahore and Karachi are most likely to host the matches.In other matters, the committee also recommended that the ICC board approve several measures regarding Twenty20 cricket.It called for expanding the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh to 16 teams. It also recommended allowing three additional Twenty20 internationals in the year in which the ICC World Twenty20 is being played. Currently, regulations allow for a maximum of 12 for each full member.

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