PCB says British Universities XI's tour shows Pak a safe country

Lahore, Apr 8(ANI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf has said the visit of the British Universities XI showed Pakistan was a safe country.

"British Universities team tour to Pakistan is a message to world that Pakistan is a safe country and people are crazy about cricket and want to see international cricket back to the country for which we are striving hard and the time is not so far away when Pakistanis will witness international cricket at their home grounds," The Daily Times quoted Ashraf, as saying.

His statement came after the PCB hosted a reception in honour of the British Universities Charity XI at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The British Universities Charities XI played a one-day international and a Twenty20 game against a PCB U-19 XI earlier this week. The tourists suffered heavy losses by 302 and 113 runs respectively in both fixtures.

The touring team's captain, Kamal Alam, said he hoped the trip would encourage other countries to visit Pakistan.

"One of the main things of the tour is not just cricket, but more to show that Pakistan really needs cricket because cricket is the most important thing in the country and it keeps everyone going. It's almost like taking the oxygen out of the country when you don't have international cricket," Alam added.

PCB director of international cricket Intikhab Alam said he hoped the British team's visit would help improve Pakistan's image.

"We are trying our level best to try to convince people and the national teams that this place is safe, and I'm sure when this Universities team play here and meet people and go back they will have some idea that things are not that bad," he added. (ANI)