(Representative Photo) © Getty Images
The Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) has again advised the Pakistani cricketers to form a players association in their country, saying it will benefit them. “It is unfortunate that until now Pakistani cricketers have not formed their own association although now in many cricket playing counties players have bodies to represent them and fight for their rights,” FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish told said. READ: PCB bans employees from commentating on television
“Even now although they don’t have a association and are not linked with us they benefit from us,” Irish said. PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan this week was clearly upset with the FICA stance on the Zimbabwe team’s tour to Pakistan where it had advised the Zimbabwe players not to tour Pakistan because of security issues.
But Irish explained that while they had all sympathies with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan for not being able to host international teams for such a long time but the ground reality was that conditions and environment in Pakistan were still not safe for touring sides. “We felt Zimbabwe should not have gone. They went but at same time our concerns exist and there was an incident during the second One-Day International ODI which can’t be ignored,” Irish added. READ: Shahryar Khan vows to revive Pakistan cricket’s domestic structure
According to Federal Minister for Information, Pervez Rasheed vigilant security forces had foiled an attempt by a suicide bomber to enter the Gaddafi stadium security zone and he blew himself a kilometer away from the venue.
Irish said the PCB didn’t bother to invite them to send a delegation to ascertain the security arrangements for the tour first hand so they would continue relying on feedback from security experts about the situation in Pakistan. He said FICA knew that the PCB, Government and security forces had done a lot to make the Zimbabwe tour a secure one. READ: ICC cannot interfere in matters concerning resumption of Indo-Pak ties, says Dave Richardson
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