Diplomatic channels save Pak-Lanka series

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board used diplomatic channels to convince the Sri Lankan government to give clearance for its team's Test tour of the country from next month.

PCB director-general Javed Miandad confirmed on Friday that he had personally spoken to Sri Lankan sports minister Gamini Lokuge to get the tour on track.

"Our acting High Commissioner in Colombo, Dr Fazlur Rehman Qadri, played a big role in this. We are grateful to the Sri Lankan foreign and sports ministers for making this tour possible," the former Pakistan captain said.

Miandad said the Sri Lanka's tour would eventually be a lifeline for Pakistan cricket after the refusal of India to send its team.

"Pakistan cricket was in danger of being isolated and for Sri Lanka to confirm their tour at this time is a big boost for us," he said.

Pakistan had invited Sri Lanka for the tour after the Indian government refused to send its team in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks in November.

The former head of the Sri Lankan Cricket's interim committee, Arjuna Ranatunga, had confirmed the tour but after he was sacked by sports minister Lokuge, they were doubts if Sri Lanka would get clearance from its government.

With the tour now formally on, Miandad hoped it would lead to other foreign teams visiting Pakistan. "Our next aim is to ensure that Australia also agree to tour Pakistan for their one-day series in April," Miandad said.

"Pakistan badly needed to host international cricket teams and we have already started making preparations to ensure top-level security arrangements for the matches," he said.

Pakistan have not played a Test this year following security concerns raised by the visiting teams.

"We now need to plan ahead to have more international cricket at home. We need to make 2009 a far better year than 2008," Miandad stated.