Former Pakistan captain and ex-Cricket Board Chief Executive Rameez Raja blamed the Indian Premier League for Australian cricket team's reluctance to tour the country.
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and ex-Cricket Board Chief Executive Rameez Raja blamed the Indian Premier League for Australian cricket team's reluctance to tour the country.
Rameez said this was the first real example of how much damage the IPL could do to Test and international cricket in the long run.
"I think there is also reluctance on part of some Australian players to avoid touring Pakistan because of the Indian Premier League. It is a situation to which the administrators have to wake up to," Rameez said in an interview.
Australia have been apprehensive of touring Pakistan due to political turmoil and series of bomb blasts in the country since the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
"I know there is a negative perception about Pakistan internationally but it is not all true and cricket matches have never been targeted ever before in the country. Other teams have come and played here and gone home on a high note. The Australians must take that into consideration," he added.
The Indian Cricket Board-backed IPL and other Boards starts from April 18 with several Australian and Pakistani players signed up to play in it.
Rameez, who was chief executive of the Board between 2002 and 2004 and is now a well known television commentator and an expert, felt Pakistan needed to launch a big PR exercise to ensure they did not face a similar situation from other teams in future.
"I think the Pakistan Board needs to drum up support within the International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council. It needs to build up a support lobby of the Asian bloc. Because if they don't make a hue and cry about it now they will face more such problems in the future and cricket could be at a big risk in the country," Rameez said.
He also warned that Australians pulling out of their scheduled tour this month would have serious consequences.
"I hope the Australians come because no sportsperson or cricket match has ever been hit by militants or violence in Pakistan ever. That is a strong point in favour of having the series in Pakistan," he said.
The former batsman said if Australia did not come it'd have devastating effect on Pakistan cricket in many ways.
"For me a cancellation could have a ripple effect. For one it is a big blow to our efforts to portray a soft image of Pakistan. It is going to scare away other teams and sponsors.
"It will also discourage youngsters from taking to the sport like they do today and most importantly it will greatly reduce Pakistan's value when the television cricket rights go up for sale in April. The long-term effects will be huge."
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