Saibal Dasgupta

Beijing, Dec 3 (TNN): Next time India chooses to wield the willow at Pakistan, it may be called upon to play on Chinese soil. At least, this is what the Pakistan Cricket Board wants to happen, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday within days of China hosting a cricket match at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

Javed Miandad, former Pakistan captain, has presented a written report to the PCB suggesting China be made a "neutral venue" for international cricket matches. The idea is to counter moves by some cricketing countries including India, who refuse to play in Pakistan on the ground that it posed a security risk.

"We should take immediate and solid steps to decide this issue soon before the time passes away," Miandad, PCB director and Pakistan's cricket ambassador to China, was quoted as saying in the letter.

Islamabad is also expected to support China's bid for hosting the 2012 Asian Cup in Guangzhou when the issue comes up for discussion at a meeting in Dhaka on December 12.

Syed Ashraful Haq, chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council recently told a cricket website that the Chinese Cricket Association had "expressed its interest" in hosting the 2012 Asia Cup. "If our ACC board agrees, China will have its first full-fledged, major international tournament," Haq said.

Pakistan which was earlier made co-host of World Cup 2011, lost hosting rights after the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team and refusal from teams in other nations to visit the country.

In his letter, Miandad praised China saying cricket has a bright future in the country. He suggested that Pakistan should help China to establish cricket infrastructure and new stadia. He also suggested sending a group of former players as a coaching team to China to train the Chinese youth.