Cricket: Pakistan Cricket Board has turned down Afghanistan ODI series request

The Pakistan Cricket Board has turned down a request from their Afghanistan counterparts to host a one-day series between the two national teams.

But the PCB has agreed to host a one-day series involving Pakistan A team and the Afghanistan national team.

Officials of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) met with the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt to discuss the cricket relations and requested them to consider hosting a one-day series.

"We explained to the Afghanistan officials that it was not possible for our national team to play the ODI series this year due to its international schedule and domestic season requirements," a PCB official said.

"But we told them we are ready to help them out improve their cricket standards and structure by playing series involving the Pakistan A team," the official added.

Afghanistan are keen to tour Pakistan for a one-day international series and have insisted they have no issues with the security situation in Pakistan.

"The series between our A team and Afghanistan will be organised sometime in June and July," the official said.

Pakistan has in the past also facilitated the Afghanistan Board by allowing their players to train at the national cricket academy in Lahore and permitting some of them to play in domestic cricket.

At present the Afghanistan Board is hosting its domestic tournament in Peshawar with the cooperation of the Peshawar District Cricket Association.

Five regional teams and the national under-19 team from Afghanistan are taking part in the domestic event in which three-day matches are being played at two grounds.

Pakistan has not been able to host any international team since the militants attack on the Sri Lankan team in March, 2009.

But Naseemullah, the chief executive of the ACB, said they had no issues playing in Pakistan .

"We will be sending our national team to Pakistan without any fear and our players are also keen to get exposure against stronger sides," he said.

He said that PCB has already cooperated a lot with them and helped Afghanistan cricket and the coming tour would be a big boost for the Afghani players.