Miandad backs China to become respected cricket playing country

Former Pakistan cricket captain Javed Miandad believes that China has the ability to compete with the best teams of the world on the cricket field.

Miandad, who returned from Beijing after a six day visit as Pakistan's cricket ambassador to China, expressed hope that China would become a cricket playing nation in near future.

“They definitely have potential, the interest and resources to become a respected cricket playing nation,” The News qouted Miandad, as saying.

"The enthusiasm and interest I saw there from government officials to university students was encouraging," he added.

Miandad urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to provide more assistance to China to build infrastructure in order to take cricket on a global sports platform.

He informed that China has included cricket in the 2010 Asian Games which would be held in Guangzhou.

Miandad said Pakistan would provide all help and assistance to China to help them breed talented players.

“The Pakistan government has signed a memorandum of understanding with their Chinese counterparts to help them strengthen their cricket base and produce players,” he added.

Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, appointed Miandad as cricket ambassador to China in December last year.