Ashraf to secure ODI status for another Asian nation

Karachi, Jul 7 (UNI) Newly appointed Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Nasim Ashraf is looking forward to secure one-day international status for one more Asian country.

''There are several emerging cricket countries in Asia and we would like to see one of them getting ODI status,'' Ashraf told mediapersons here after being elected as the ACC chairman for two years yesterday.

''United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman have good cricket outfits,'' he added.

Ashraf further said the next Asia Cup would be staged in a non-Test playing country.

''The ACC has many associate member countries as candidates for the 2010 Asia Cup, and hopefully one will be selected in the next six months,'' he stated.

Ashraf, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stated that Asia was the epicentre of world cricket and promised to use this power for the betterment of the global game.

''There is no place for politics in sports. The ACC has one main objective and that is to promote the game in Asia in particular and in the rest of the world,'' he said.

''We will work for the cause of Asian cricket and also world cricket by supporting the International Cricket Council (ICC).'' The ACC chief said the powerful Asian bloc will help supplement the efforts of the ICC to get cricket included in the Olympics.

''Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world and deserves to be in the Olympics,'' Ashraf said. ''We will try our level best to get it included in the London Olympics.'' He also spoke about the revival of international cricket in the UAE as Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have international standard cricket stadiums.

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