ICC welcomes World XI Tour of Pakistan

The ICC has welcomed the World XI's tour of Pakistan following the naming of the team, which will travel to Lahore in September for a three game series.

The team comprises big names like Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla from South Africa, former international captains like Paul Collingwood of England, George Bailey of Australia and Darren Sammy of the West Indies.

Giles Clarke, the ICC Director, who has served as the Chairman of the Pakistan Task Team since 2009, was optimistic that the series will be the first step towards international cricket returning safely to Pakistan with more T20 International matches against Sri Lanka and the Windies penciled in for later in the year. He termed Pakistan as an important member of the parent body.

Clarke is happy that cricket lovers in Pakistan will get to watch live action in their own country.

The Pakistan Task Team, which was formed in June 2009 and also included ICC Chief Executive David Richardson (then ICC General Manager – Cricket), made 63 recommendations in June 2011 about the organisation of the game in the country.

The PCB accepted most of those recommendations and it resulted in the side remaining competitive at the top level, evident from the fact that it reached the quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, qualified for the final of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2014, attained numberone Test ranking in September 2016, before winning the ICC Champions Trophy this year.

Richardson, who has been a regular visitor to Pakistan, said: "The ICC wants to see regular international cricket being played safely in all its Member countries and the World XI playing Pakistan in Lahore next month is a step towards that for the PCB.

"We are optimistic that this will be the next step in a steady and safe return of international cricket to Pakistan," he added.