Ramiz Raja

Karachi: Former Pakistan skipper Ramiz Raja has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to change rules to ensure teams don’t pick and choose which country they want to tour.

Reacting to Australia’s decision to tour India despite bomb blasts in New Delhi while refusing to tour Pakistan on security grounds, Ramiz said that the ICC is at fault for such a situation.

“I think it is very frustrating, it is very wrong. The ICC is at fault because they have got rules made up for certain blocs to quit cricket in certain areas at their will. so this pick and choose policy must stop,” he said.

“The ICC needs to revolutionise, rechange ... whatever you want to put it ... change the rules at the ICC levels so that these things don’t happen again,” he added.

Pakistan has been fuming over Australia’s decision to tour India, and with the statements of players’ association and Cricket Australia that despite the blasts, India remained a safer place to tour than Pakistan.

Ramiz also expressed doubts over the future of Champions Trophy and spoke on Pakistan’s efforts to host the eight-nation tournament next year after it was postponed last month.

“Pakistan is mentally pursuing the idea and I think it is only right that Pakistan should be considered a safe cricket nation and I am sure Pakistan will fight tooth and nail to make sure CT remains in Pakistan,” he said.

On Twenty20, he said one could see more new fans aligning themselves to cricket all over the world because of the growing popularity of T20. (PTI)