Former captain and Pakistan's cricket ambassador to China, Javed Miandad believes that if China becomes another venue for Pakistan's offshore international matches that will also help promote the game in that country. "At a time when cricket playing nations are reluctant to visit Pakistan, I think China is another option for us to arrange our home series at a neutral venue," he told newsmen on Tuesday.
He said that the Chinese wanted to promote the cricket in their country, which was the most popular game of sub-continent. "They want to promote cricket and need our help for that. I think the best thing that we can do in this regard is to hold our matches there," he said.
Miandad, one of the mentors of the fledgling sport in China, said that the cricket stadium at Guangdong University of Technology, where T20 international cricket tournament in the Asian Games was held was suitable for all kind of international matches. The ground has an 80-metre boundary, seven pitches and other facilities which suit international standards, he added.
He said Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt during his visit to China was astonished by the quality of the ground and facilities provided in the cricket stadium. He said Butt had also expressed the wish to make China a venue for one of Pakistan's offshore international games. He said China had great talent for cricket and their future in the game was bright. "I have looking after their cricketing affairs for the past two years. Although they are new to the game, they have the potential to become a great world side," he remarked.
During President Asif Ali Zardari's first visit to China as the head of state, a couple of years ago, the two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the promotion of cricket. Under the MoU Pakistan agreed to provide all necessary assistance to China for promoting the game. After that both the countries gave important assignments to Miandad - Pakistan appointed him ambassador to Cricket China, while China made him senior advisor to China Cricket Association.
The erstwhile cricket great said that Pakistan was also considering to send a group of former players as a coaching team to China to train their youth. He said the International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council had also asked cricket playing nations to help China and the United States of America to promote the game.
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