Peshawar is not a red line for Pakistan Cricket - Najam Sethi

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Najam Sethi said Peshawar is not a red-line for Pakistan Cricket. 

In an interview during the ongoing Pakistan-New Zealand Test match in Karachi on Tuesday, Sethi said that there should be no red line from PCB for Peshawar. 

"I was told there is red line for Peshawar," he said. "We will play in Arbab Niaz Stadium Peshawar whenever KP government gives us a green signal."
 
A few days ago, former PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja had called Peshawar a "red flag" for western teams.  "Foreign players are not allowed to travel to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan by their countries. They are asked to stay cautious," he had told media. 

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Sethi, who was appointed last week, said he is ready to take cricket to KP and Balochistan if government of both provinces assures PCB of the security clearance and stadium facility. 

The chairman said it will take six weeks for them to improve Quetta's Bugti Stadium. "It's in a very dilapidated state and got worse in four years as nobody took care of it," he said. "Balochistan govt. and Corps Commander have to work together to restore the Bugti Stadium." 

Sethi had announced his commitment to host PSL 8 matches in Quetta earlier on Friday. He said there is a great demand for Quetta Gladiators matches to be played in the city. 

"I've talked to our security expert and he assured me he'll visit Quetta to assess the conditions and get clearance," the newly-appointed chiarman said. 

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Sethi emphasized on playing Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Test cricket in multiple venues across the country. "It's very important that we go to all the corners of this country," he said, adding that "Karachi-Lahore monopoly" in hosting cricket matches should end. 

"When you expand venues, then you fix the venues, you spend time on those. That brings cricket alive," he added.