Canada cricketers keen to tour Pakistan

Karachi: Canadian cricket authorities want to send their national side to tour Pakistan, Pakistani officials said on Wednesday, more than three years after international matches were halted in the troubled country. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the tour was expected to go ahead after September this year and voiced hope the visit would help re-establish the country as a safe venue for sport.

A deadly militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus during the Lahore Test in March 2009 made Pakistan a no-go zone for international teams, but the PCB has been trying to entice sides back to the cricket-mad but unstable country. "PCB has thanked Cricket Canada for their interest in sending their national team to Pakistan. PCB believes in strengthening the relationship further between the two boards," said a PCB statement.

Efforts to restart internationals in Pakistan were hit last month when Bangladesh postponed an agreed tour over security fears. Canada is an associate member of the International Cricket Council, not a full Test-playing nation, but took part in the 2011 World Cup and lost to Pakistan in the group stage.

Efforts to restart internationals in Pakistan were hit last month when Bangladesh postponed an agreed tour.

Former PCB chairmen had advised the board to work on associate members rather than bigger teams in their efforts to revive international cricket.

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