PCB urges Pak govt to give it control of intenational stadiums

Lahore, May 6 (UNI) World Cup 2011 maybe still five years away but PCB is already gearing up for the occasion and has urged the Pakistan Government to transfer control of the international stadiums to the cricket board.

After a meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board's Ad-hoc Committee at the Gaddafi Stadium here yesterday, PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan appealed to the government to transfer control of stadiums at Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and Peshawar so that matches can be held there.

''A lot of effort is needed to upgrade the existing infrastructure in terms of increasing capacity in the stadiums besides adding facilities like laying of new pitches and installation of replay screens,'' he said.

Mr Khan also informed that PCB would install giant replay screens in those stadiums at the earliest.

It was also decided in the meeting that the Ad-hoc Committee would invite coach Bob Woolmer, Chairman of Selectors Wasim Bari and captain Inzamam-ul Haq to discuss World Cup strategy, as approved by PCB chief patron and President Pervez Musharraf During the meeting, the PCB Ad-hoc Committee welcomed the ICC decision to hold World Cup in Asia in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2008.

The PCB chief also confirmed that the Board had roped in Jonty Rhodes to improve the fielding standard of the team.

''Former South African Test cricketer Jonty Rhodes has been contracted by PCB to hone the fielding skills of the National and Junior Team players. Jonty Rhodes's stint in the Pakistan Team will begin in the second week of June and it would last about two weeks,'' a PCB statement later said.

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