PCB chief looks to foster closer ties with India

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan will undertake a tour of Asian cricket playing nations early next month in a bid to foster closer ties with BCCI and mend fences with Bangladesh.
"My prime objective is to foster closer relations with all these countries because I believe that if the Asian bloc is strong it can play a dominant role in world cricket as well," Khan said.
The former career diplomat said he would be visiting India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from October 3 to 10.
"The idea is to convey the policies of the PCB to their cricket boards and to tell them that we want friendly and cooperative relations with them," he added.

Khan said that his focus would also be on talking to these cricket boards to send their junior and A teams to Pakistan so that this can help in paving the way for return of international cricket to the country.
"We feel that it is important to have some representative cricket in Pakistan and India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh can help us by sending their junior and A teams."

Khan said the PCB was looking to sign reciprocal agreements with not only these three Asian boards but also Australia, South Africa and England for exchange of junior and A level teams.

"PCB also wants to see exchange of players at domestic level so that players from both countries get exposure of playing in different environment and systems," he added.
The PCB chief said the presence of the Lahore Lions team in India was a positive development and he would ask the Indian board to resume bilateral ties as soon as possible and also look into the IPL issue.
A source close to the PCB chief said he would also be discussing some important issues with the Bangladesh cricket board.
"Relations between the two boards have been strained since the time of Ijaz Butt and Khan wants to change that and improve relations and invite Bangladesh to send their junior and A level teams to Pakistan. He feels that Pakistan needs to have the full backing and support of the other Asian countries to make its presence felt in the ICC.