USA Cricket Media Release
USA Cricket officials met earlier this week in Dubai with the leaders of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in advance of the ICC Board Meeting, to discuss organizing match series in the USA in 2010. Those matches will feature the defending ICC World T20 champions. The USA Cricket delegation led by CEO Donald Lockerbie met with PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt and Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari for a constructive meeting to iron out a plan several months in the making.
(L to R) USA Cricket’s Ahmed Jeddy, PCB COO Wasim Bari, USA Cricket’s Nabeel Ahmed, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt and USA Cricket’s CEO Don Lockerbie.
USACA 1st Vice President Nabeel Ahmed stated – “The importance of this agreement cannot be over-emphasized. The United States is a perfect place for Pakistan to play in the near future and this news will be well received in both countries.”
PCB Chairman Butt concurred that “Pakistan playing as a Full Member of the ICC in the USA is in line with the ICC’s policy to grow the sport in countries such as the United States. The meetings with the USA delegation were fruitful and a positive step to planning significant match series in the USA where Pakistan has many great and loyal fans.”
While the two boards are still finalizing dates and the types of match competitions – assurances were made by both parties that a long term agreement to play in the USA will begin with a match series later in 2010.
USACA Board member Ahmed Jeddy was quick to praise the PCB for the initiative to become one of the first ICC Full Members to start collaboration with the USA – following New Zealand Cricket who agreed in November 2009 to a long-term and comprehensive strategic partnership with USA Cricket.
(L to R) USA Cricket’s CEO Don Lockerbie, PCB COO Wasim Bari, USA Cricket’s Ist Vice President Nabeel Ahmed and USA Cricket Board Member Ahmed Jeddy – Photos © Daniela Zaharia/USACA
US Cricket CEO Lockerbie stated that USA Cricket has been working on the “Destination USA” initiative since he became CEO in April 2009. The program is now taking shape with several announcements expected to be made in the coming days after significant meetings for USACA in Dubai. “We are finalizing several high-level match series at this time with a multiple group of Full Members” Lockerbie said, adding “and the interest to play in the USA seems to be gaining more and more momentum.”