Pakistan's isolation coming to an end? PCB confident that top cricketing nation will visit soon

Pakistan could finally end years of international cricketing isolation. A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) disclosed that they are close to signing a deal with a leading cricketing nation to tour the country.

The head of PCB's executive committee Najam Sethi confirmed that the board was in talks for the tour but said he could not disclose the name of the team.

"It would not be right to spell out names right now but we are negotiating and we are close to achieving some success," Sethi was quoted by the Press Trust of India.

No top Test nation has toured the country since March 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus at Lahore. Twelve militants attacked the bus injuring six players while six security personnel and two civilians were killed.

Lower ranked cricketing nations Kenya, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have toured Pakistan, but the PCB has so far failed to convince any of the bigger countries to visit as a majority of them are not keen because of the volatile political situation in the country.

Sethi said the cricketing authorities had convinced the West Indies Cricket Board to send their team to Pakistan last year but the tour did not come off due to a major terrorist attack in Lahore place soon after.

"Every time we think we are close to breaking this isolation something happens and we are pushed back."

The board has sought compensation from the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India over loss of revenue due to India's unwillingness to play Pakistan in bilateral tournaments.