PCB optimistic about home series against Zimbabwe

Lahore, Jan 4 (UNI) Amid security concerns in Pakistan after fromer Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination, The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is confident that the home series against Zimbabwe will go ahead as scheduled.

The PCB officials are even willing to shift the venue for the upcoming ODI series against Zimbabwe.

PCB's media director, Dr Ahsan Malik said ''The series (against Zimbabwe) should take place on the same dates but there is a possibility of some changes being made to the venue list.'' He added, the PCB is doing its homework to ensure a successful hosting of the home series.

The PCB conceded that the board will contact Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to discuss about any issues that the Zimbabweans might be concerned about.

''A top PCB official will be contacting Zimbabwe Cricket authorities to discuss the tour and the venues,'' he said.

The Zimbabweans are due to arrive in Karachi later this month and will play two warm-up games here from January 14 before the one-day series gets underway on January 26.

The opening ODI was scheduled for Hyderabad but it is now likely to be moved either to Karachi (also the venue of the second one-dayer) or Lahore.

A series of meetings took place at the PCB headquarters with the board chief, Nasim Ashraf, in the chair. The meetings were attended by PCB's COO Shafqat Naghmi, Zakir Khan (Director Operations) and national selectors.

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