28-August 2008

Pakistan Cricket Board succeeded in compensating the postponement of Champions Trophy. PCB ultimately managed to lure Sri Lanka for a triangular one-day series which will be held in South Africa. Not finalized yet but hoping to start from September 12.

The reliable persons of the Pakistan board affirmed that Sri Lanka has given its affirmative reply to participate in the tri-series. At the same time India has showed its inability to play in a one-day tournament. It is being said that Pakistan had tried to convince some other countries to support the board in arranging a triangular or quadrangular cricket tournament in South Africa.

India is also one of them.PCB is organizing this tournament to fill in the gap left open in Pakistan's cricket calendar after the recent decision about postponement of the Champions Trophy.

India refused because it was already scheduled to visit Pakistan for a coming series at the start of January next year. Sri Lanka agreed to play a one-day tournament. Only the modalities including venues and dates for the tri-series are to be decided.

However it is likely to start from September 12. Some of the former cricket players had attacked at PCB for making an effort to organize the series in South Africa. The reason is that South Africa is the country which refused to send its team to Pakistan. That was also the cause behind postponement of Champions Trophy.

Shafqat Naghmi, who is the senior Board Official, said that Pakistan could not yield to ignore or cut off the terms with the countries which showed unwillingness towards sending teams to Pakistan. He said that we will not adopt a tit for tat policy in that case. The reason is that the decision was made unanimously and we should accept it wholeheartedly.

Naghmi said that people should also see that Pakistan is still having the hosting rights. It was made possible only by the strong support and stand taken by some boards which stopped it from being relocated to Sri Lanka.