cricket south africa interim board

Haroon Lorgat, CEO Cricket South Africa during the 2017 Africa T20 Launch at the The Gallery Wanderers Stadium, South Africa on 11 April 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Proteas tour to Pakistan gets backing from Lorgat

There are talks underway over a possible Proteas tour to Pakistan, which would be their first visit to the country since 2007.

cricket south africa interim board

Haroon Lorgat, CEO Cricket South Africa during the 2017 Africa T20 Launch at the The Gallery Wanderers Stadium, South Africa on 11 April 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Cricket South Africa (CSA) interim board member Haroon Lorgat has backed the idea of the Proteas touring Pakistan early next year.

For the past decade, Pakistan have hosted South Africa in the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2008.

More backing for SA tour of Pakistan 

With the international game slowly returning to the country in the past two years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been in talks with several top cricketing nations, including South Africa, for possible tours in the near future.

Lorgat – a former CSA chief executive who has just returned to the organisation as a board member – says it would be a good decision to allow the Proteas to visit the country, according to Cricket Pakistan.

“Pakistan cricket deserves to play cricket on home soil,” he told the publication.

“The safety and security of players will always be the first priority but in recent times, the situation has improved. PSL was played there and Zimbabwe are playing right now so the environment looks a lot safer and lot more secure for international teams to visit and I would be very happy if South Africa were to play in Pakistan.

“I was in Pakistan during PSL 5, which was an enjoyable visit. I have been frequently visiting Pakistan and I have got no hesitation in coming.”

Haroon Lorgat

Busy summer for the Proteas 

Another South Africa vs Pakistan tussle is on the card in what is a busy home schedule for the former, who also welcome England, Sri Lanka and Australia in the next few months.

CSA said it would take all security considerations before deciding on whether tour the country.

A Sarfraz Ahmed-led Pakistani toured South Africa in the 2018/19 summer, where they played three Tests, five One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals.