If Imran Khan will come for cricket, we will all bow before him: Sethi

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi on Tuesday said that he will welcome cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan if he attends a Pakistan versus World XI match.

The PCB chief maintained that he had invited the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan when international players graced Gaddafi stadium during PSL 2017 final in March and has sent him an invitation to watch the ongoing Independence Cup.

“This time I not only invited him but also urged him to briang his friends and relatives. Cricket is cricket and politics should have no place here. If he will come for cricket, we all will bow before him,” said Sethi.

The PCB chairman also revealed that Pakistan’s three greats leaving the cricketing field will be accorded a befitting farewell during the concluding ceremony of Independence Cup #WORLDXI

It is pertinent to note here that Imran Khan is the top critic of Sethi and has criticised his appointment as the PCB chairman time and again.

Imran Khan had also termed foreign players — who played the final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2017 in Lahore “phateechar” (useless).

Pakistan Tuesday took a giant step towards reviving international cricket at home with a 20-run victory over the World XI in a match before excited crowds amid tight security.

Apart from five limited-overs games against minnows Zimbabwe in 2015, Pakistan have not hosted top-level international cricket March 2009.

Since then Pakistan have been forced to play most of their “home” games in the United Arab Emirates.