Kumar Sangakkara calls on England and Australia to tour Pakistan again

Marylebone Cricket Club president says that it is good for world cricket to have Pakistan playing in front of their own fans

Pakistan's Abid Ali, right, celebrates with teammate Shan Masood after reaching his century during the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka, at the National Stadium in Karachi, on December 21, 2019. It was Pakistan's first Test series at home for more than 10 years AFP

Pakistan's Abid Ali, right, celebrates his century with teammate Shan Masood in Karachi on Saturday. AP

Abid Ali has now scored a century in his first two Tests. AP

Abid Ali after reaching three figures during the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium. AFP

Abid Ali helped Pakistan take full control of the Karachi Test against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium. AFP

Shan Masood scored 135 against Sri Lanka in the Karachi Test on Saturday. AP

Abid Ali hits a boundary against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium in Karachi on Saturday. AP

Shan Masood flicks one during the third day of the second Test on Saturday. AFP

Shan Masood, left, and Abid Ali added 278 runs for the opening wicket against Sri Lanka at the National Stadium in Karachi. AFP

Abid Ali pulls during the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi. AFP

Pakistan's Shan Masood hits one down the ground in Karachi on Saturday. AP

Sri Lanka's Lahiru Kumara took the wicket of Shan Masood in Karachi. AFP

England and Australia must play key roles to ensure regular international tours to Pakistan are back on the cricket schedule, according to Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara.

Top teams have shunned Pakistan since the 2009 attack on a bus carrying the Sri Lanka team in Lahore in which six players were injured and eight Pakistanis, including six policemen, were killed.

Sangakkara, who was part of that team, returned to Pakistan with a Marylebone Cricket Club team in February this year but top teams have stayed away with security apprehensions.

"It doesn't matter an Asian side going there or a secondary side in terms of world prominence when it comes to having security measures in place," MCC president Sangakkara told The Cricket Show on Sky Sports Cricket.

"I think it's important that England or Australia, even South Africa, make up their minds to actually tour when security is assured and they have those discussions; the MCC tour will be a precursor to that."

In December, Pakistan played their first Test match on home soil since 2009 when they hosted Sri Lanka in Karachi, while Bangladesh also played a Test match in Rawalpindi in February.

Bangladesh split their tour in three parts even though the final leg was called off in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sangakkara, who has scored more than 28,000 international runs for Sri Lanka, agreed it was too early for any extended tour of Pakistan.

"I don't think you are ever going to see in the near future a five-Test match series coupled with a one-day series played back-to-back," said the former Sri Lanka captain.

"I think it will be more a case of you play two Test matches, you take a break, you go back and play three one-dayers.

"It's not exactly the right time for extended tours, but I'm sure that with the right communication and the measures in place that players can go back and play some great quality cricket, have a great time and bring cricket back to Pakistan.

"A strong Pakistan side playing in front of their home crowds is one of the best things that can happen to world cricket."

The MCC won a 20-over match against Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium by four wickets before losing by five wickets to the Pakistan Shaheens in a 50-over fixture two days later, at Aitchison College, Lahore.

"We think there was about 18,000-19,000 people there on the first day [at the Gaddafi Stadium]," he said.

"To have them come out there in force – there were queues just as we got to the ground of people waiting to go in – and the reception that we got, the enthusiasm that they showed the happiness on their faces; their welcome, their hospitality, was absolutely incredible."

Pakistan have offered to host global flagship tournaments after the governing International Cricket Council invited countries to express an interest for events in the 2023-31 cycle.

Last month, Mubashir Usmani, the Emirates Cricket Board's general secretary, confirmed they are in talks with Pakistan about jointly bidding for ICC events.