The Pak Banker

We would really appreciate England visiting Pakistan soon

- SOUTHAMPTO­N -APP

Pakistan coach Misbahul-Haq said he hoped England would tour the country "soon" after his side travelled to Britain during the coronaviru­s pandemic. England have not visited Pakistan since 2005/06. An attack by armed militants on Sri Lanka´s team bus in Lahore in 2009 ended major cricket tours for a decade.

But other countries have since made the trip, with England scheduled to return in 2022. Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan has urged England to tour even before then and Misbah, in a column for the PCB's website published Wednesday, said: "Looking into the future, we would really appreciate England visiting Pakistan soon."

He pointed out the sides that had toured recently, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and said a number of England players had appeared in the Pakistan Super League, a Twenty20 competitio­n.

"Players from all over the world now know about the levels of security Pakistan can provide and how much they will be welcomed," said Misbah, who is also Pakistan's chief selector.

"Players from all over the world now know about the levels of security Pakistan can provide and how much they will be welcomed," said Misbah, who is also Pakistan's chief selector.

A draw in the third Test at Southampto­n condemned Pakistan to a 1-0 series loss on Tuesday ahead of a threematch Twenty20 series starting later this week in Manchester, which will also be played behind closed doors. Pakistan and the West Indies, who played a threeTest series in England last month, are two of cricket's financiall­y poorer leading internatio­nal sides.

Yet they have helped spare the England and Wales Cricket Board losses that could have run into hundreds of millions of pounds. "The whole cricket community needs to support each other - that's the only way to promote the game and bring joy to fans and cricket lovers," said Misbah as he thanked the ECB for their hospitalit­y.

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