Multan all set to renew its Test status

Lahore-Almost 20 years after its inauguration as a Test venue, in 1981 against the Clive Lloyd led West Indies, Multan is all set to renew its status with the first match of the Asian Test Championship on August 29, when it plays host to Bangladesh.

But this major city in the Southern Punjab, which is home to Inzamam-ul-Haq, would not have hosted only its second Test in two decades if the visiting team was not Bangladesh. That despite having a brand-new stadium now. The ICC regulations specifically ask for a five-star hotel facility within 30 minutes of travelling time to the ground. The hotel is there, but it is merely a three-star - and even that is stretching it a bit.

These days, when international teams and cricketers have become highly demanding, no front-line team would have agreed to put up in such a facility. The example of the Aussies only recently forsaking a 100-plus years of tradition for the additional comforts of a swimming pool during the Edgbaston Test in the ongoing Ashes series is a case in point. Perhaps Bangladesh consented because they are babes of the game and not yet spoiled by the frills that international cricketers these days take for granted. Or maybe they agreed not to make the modest lodgings an issue because the Boards of the two countries enjoy very cordial relations.

Recognized as one of the best-kept tourism secrets in the world because of the pristine natural beauty of its mountain ranges, historical monuments some of which date back to thousands of years and such tremendous variety in landscape and climates, Pakistan is sometimes a tourist's nightmare because of a lack of quality lodgings in most cities and towns. The places where quality hotels are available are mostly the provincial and federal capitals.

Cricket also stands to suffer on this count, as four venues where stadiums exist - and are being revamped and upgraded under the PCB's 'Vision 2005' programme - would no longer be able to host international matches unless the guests show the kind of accommodation that the Bangladeshis are doing. These are: Hyderabad's Niaz Stadium, the Multan's newly-made cricket ground and Sialkot's Jinnah Stadium and Gujranwala's Municipal Stadium. In the circumstances, the point to consider for the PCB is as to how would it recoup the sizable investment that it is making in reconstructing these stadiums. Maybe the Board thinks that quality hotels would eventually be built in these cities or perhaps the use of these grounds for domestic cricket would be enough justification for its investment. And also that it would occasionally find visitors as accommodating as Bangladesh.