Greg Barclay concluded his two-day trip to Pakistan as the chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the first time. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the ICC officials paid a visit to the Pakistan Cricket Organisation‘s head office in Lahore. Najam Sethi, the chair of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, and other PCB representatives were in sight throughout the conversations between Barclay and Allardice. They addressed a wide range of administrative issues pertaining to cricket.
Barclay commended Pakistan’s cricket facilities and duties, saying that with the return of international competition and PCB’s excellent implementation of bilateral agreements, Pakistan cricket is willing to reach greater heights. He also expressed pleasure with the PCB’s position within the ICC’s plan to expand the game worldwide.
PCB is able to successfully deliver bilateral arrangements: ICC
“The cricket facilities in Pakistan and the cricket programs are great, and now that international cricket has returned to Pakistan and the PCB is able to successfully deliver bilateral arrangements at home, I think we’ll see Pakistan cricket reach another level for both men and women, and that will also have a positive impact in terms of commercial upside,” Barclay was quoted as per the Arab News.
From the ICC’s view, given that we have a strategy to grow the game globally, to see where the PCB fits in is also very pleasing. I am going to leave here well impressed with what I have seen,” Barclay added further
The ICC authorities did not, however, address Pakistan’s World Cup participation. Dates and venues for the World Cup, to be played in October-November, will be announced during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in London from June 7.
Najam Sethi, who is both the chair of the PCB Management Committee and an ICC Director, thanked Greg Barclay and Geoff Allardice for their visit. He emphasised the value of sharing perspectives and ideas on the global cricket ecosystem and the PCB’s commitment to collaborating closely with the ICC to create international strategies and plans that are advantageous to all ICC members and draw in new audiences.