TMA’s act of erasing wall earns bad name: Zaka

Islamabad—Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf on Tuesday said the act of erasig Gaddafi Stadium’s wall by Gulberg TMA had earned bad name for the country making the restoration of international cricket more difficult.

Addressing a press conference at a local hotel here, the PCB Chairman while appreciating Imran Khan’s statement regarding TMA’s action, said, “Imran is the only person who came out and spoke at this adverse incident.”

Imran had condemned the the TMA’s action of erasing the wall, claiming it was illegally constructed by the PCB, after which the PCB took the matter to the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The PCB Chairman said all-out efforts were being made to convince foreign teams to play here but this kind of act would create hurdles to bring the international cricket back.

Zaka further said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would be signed soon for the resumption of cricket between the two countries.

Talking about his recent visit to India at the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the chairman said his tour to India was successful. The invitation to Sailkot Stallions to participate in Champions League is a result of these talks, he added. To a question, the chairman said other Indian junior and women teams would also visit Pakistan to play. “The BCCI has also assured Pakistani cricketers participation in the next edition of the IPL,” he said.

Zaka said that after Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh’s talks at the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final last year, both the countries were moving forward positively.

“President Asif Ali Zardari in his meeting with Indian Premier Manmohan Singh also had very successful talks regarding cricket ties between both the countries,” the chairman said. The PCB Chairman further said that the board was also in talks with its other counterparts for the revival of international cricket in the country.—APP