No security concerns for Zimbabwe players in Pak: Taibu

KARACHI, January 16: Former captain Tatenda Taibu on Wednesday gave the PCB a shot in the arm by claiming that the visiting Zimbabwean cricketers did not have any security concerns in Pakistan despite the volatile situation in the country.
Zimbabwe went ahead with the tour despite violence erupting in Pakistan in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last month.
On Tuesday, they decided to continue with their trip despite a bomb blast on Monday night that killed 10 people.
"Every country has some security or other problems. My family, my wife and son are here with me and I have no worries being in Pakistan. I feel sportsmen are safe everywhere," he said.
Taibu, the first black captain of Zimbabwe, said sports in general is meant to unite people. He said the cause of sports is damaged whenever it is mixed up with politics and security issues.
"The cause of sport is to bring people together and I believe political and security issues should not be allowed to damage any sport particularly cricket," he said.
Taibu's remarks come at a time when countries like England and Australia are constantly pressing for a sporting boycott of Zimbabwe due to what they claim is the poor human rights record of the Robert Mugabe regime.
One of the most experienced players in the present Zimbabwe side with 24 Tests and 91 One-Day International appearances, Taibu took over from Heath Streak at the age of 21 after a players' revolt in early 2004 against the Zimbabwe Cricket Union saw top players depart from the country.
He resigned in November 2005 from captaincy and retired from international cricket after a second players' revolt against the Zimbabwe Cricket Union and its policies, only to return to Zimbabwe colours in mid 2007.
Taibu is also hopeful that Zimbabwe would regain Test-status soon and playing more four-day matches would hasten the return.
"It is not a matter of time when we get our Test status back. The more four-dayers we play we will get better. We have some good young players coming up.
"If we play 15 to 20 four-dayers in a year like the one we are playing now regularly than we don't have to wait for five to seven years to be on top of the game," Taibu said.
Zimbabwe is currently playing a four-day tour match here and they are scheduled to take on Pakistan in five One-Day Internationals.