PCB in talks to host Zimbabwe - Shahryar Khan

Shahryar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has said that the board is in talks with Zimbabwe Cricket over a limited-overs bilateral series in May that could be held in Lahore and Karachi, pending security clearance. Khan claimed that the ICC had refused to release its officials for the series but, under a "special dispensation", will allow the PCB to host the series with "non-neutral match officials".

Pakistan has not hosted an international game since the attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March 2009. If the tour goes ahead, Zimbabwe will be the first Test-playing nation in six years to visit the country. Two Associate countries, Kenya and Afghanistan, have toured Pakistan recently but the impact of those tours was not strong enough to help the PCB convince other Test nations.

Khan said he met with his Zimbabwe Cricket counterpart, Wilson Manase, in Dubai on the sidelines of the ICC board meeting. "He (Zimbabwe Cricket president) said that they would come to Pakistan but for a very short period," Khan said. "They are sending a security team to assess the situation.

"Lahore and Karachi are being considered for the series but there is some doubt over hosting games in Karachi. The distance between the national stadium and the hotel is very long so we are hoping to host them at the south end (DHA area) where Pakistan had hosted a test in 1992. But we have to get the venue approved by the ICC."

Pakistan has been a no-go country for international cricket with major teams refusing to tour due to security concerns. With improved security in recent times, the PCB decided to revive its efforts to invite teams though the focus, at present, is on low-profile teams. Ireland was the first major Associate team to engage with the PCB for a tour but talks were put on hold in June last year, following terrorist attacks on the Karachi airport.

Kenya toured Pakistan last year in November for a series of five one-dayers against Pakistan A at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.