Cricket boards offer to help Pakistan

A number of cricket boards have offered to help Pakistan raise relief funds for the people affected by the floods that have devastated the country over the last month. Some of the offers, including one from New Zealand cricket, could simultaneously help bring international cricket back to the country, which has become a no-go destination after the terror attacks on the Sri Lanka in Lahore in March 2009.

The worst floods in living memory have ravaged Pakistan, submerging an estimated one-fifth of the country, affecting up to 20 million people and causing over a thousand deaths. The country's already stuttering economy is likely to face greater pressure once the flooding recedes and the process of rehabilitation begins in full. International aid is finally starting to come in, though the response was initially sluggish.

The PCB has been doing its bit and is keen to organise a flood relief game in England while the national side is touring the country, though the busy itinerary has not yet yielded a date or venue. The board also donated over Rs 11 million (approximately US$130,000) for relief efforts and players have contributed match fees while on tour. Salman Butt dedicated his side's third Test win at The Oval to victims of the floods and said that the side would be attending fund-raising dinners and events on tour. Separately Shahid Afridi, the ODI and T20I captain, and Aleem Dar, the elite panel umpire, have also helped with relief efforts and raising money. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has also started a fund-raising campaign.

Strauss also confirmed that England had followed their opponents' lead by donating to the Pakistan flood relief effort. "We're donating a proportion of our match fee to the fund," he said. "It's a humanitarian catastrophe out there and we're trying to help as much as we can. The more people who do that the better."

The biggest contributions might come from flood relief matches, however, and as well as the proposal for a match in England, the board has been working on other options. One reportedly includes arranging a game during the series with South Africa in the Middle East in October-November this year. There were also reports that the board had sounded out the BCCI over the possibility of such matches at a neutral venue, but the PCB has not elaborated on this. One other option has come from New Zealand who have offered to help by playing in a flood relief game, even if it means playing a game in Pakistan, though this is still in a very early stage.

"An offer has been made by New Zealand cricket to help with the devastation in Pakistan, maybe through a flood relief game," Nadeem Sarwar, the PCB media manager told Cricinfo. "It is at a very early stage just now but they have even said they would be willing to come to Pakistan if needed for that."

Zimbabwe has also offered to tour to help raise funds. The PCB had been working on a series with Zimbabwe in any case, Sarwar said. Any such visit is now likely to include a match for flood relief. "Yes, they have made a formal contact with us and we highly appreciate their [Zimbabwe's] noble gesture for supporting the cause. They have asked us to provide them with suitable dates for the series," Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, told News One TV.

Since the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers, matches from the 2011 World Cup matches have been moved out of Pakistan. The national team has since had to play 'home' series at neutral venues such as the UAE and England but there is now a concerted effort within the ICC to find ways to revive international cricket once again in the country. The ICC is considering sending over an ICC World XI to Pakistan and the options of Zimbabwe and New Zealand are likely to further boost that effort.