Misbah urges cricket world to do more to revive international cricket in Pakistan

He said that cricket world need to do more, not only for Pakistan but for any country.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan s head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Wednesday urged the cricket world to do more to help his country s efforts to revive international matches, damaged by security problems in the last decade.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Wednesday, he said that the cricket world need to do more, not only for Pakistan but for any country where it is hit.

"Pakistan is a cricket-loving country and it would be injustice to deprive them of international cricket, so I hope that the world will support us more and more."

It had been ten years since the attacks, Misbah said, adding he hoped more international teams would consider touring his nation and others like Pakistan. "Otherwise the survival of cricket will be difficult."

"Pakistan s government is trying its best, security agencies are trying their best, the Pakistan Cricket Board is trying its best and we need the support of the world," Misbah said. "No doubt what happened to them (was unfortunate), such things do happen in other parts of the world, but you go out and play there. They should come here too, what s the problem with that."

Misbah-ul-Haq went on to say that Sri Lanka s top players should have come for the limited-overs series in Pakistan after being assured of head-of-state-like security by the government.

Ten of Sri Lanka s best players pulled out of the three-match ODI series and three Twenty20s in Pakistan due to security concerns - including ODI captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Twenty20 captain Lasith Malinga.

Misbah said his team -- the majority of who will be playing a one-day international at home for the first time -- were excited for the match.

Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, and Wahab Riaz have featured in an ODI in Pakistan before.

"It s a special moment for all of us and players are excited as well as emotional, playing before their home fans and at home ground, so it s really special."

It is the first time since Sri Lanka s team bus was attacked by terrorists in Lahore in 2009 that a foreign team will conduct a two-week tour of Pakistan. Major teams have avoided Pakistan since that ambush, which killed eight people and injured several players.

The current tour, which begins with the first ODI on Friday, also looked in doubt after the Sri Lankan cricket board said it had been warned by its government about a possible terrorist threat. But it finally got the go-ahead from the SLC after Pakistan s government promised that the army would coordinate the security over the two-week long visit.

The Sri Lanka team, which arrived on Tuesday amid tight security, rested in their team hotel on Wednesday. Pakistan team s practice session was canceled on Wednesday due to rain in this southern port city and both teams will have training session at National Stadium on Thursday.

Karachi will host the three ODIs on Sept. 27, 29 and Oct. 2 while the three Twenty20s will be played at Lahore on Oct. 5, 7 and 9.