KARACHI, (Reuters) – Former Pakistan test captain  Wasim Bari has pledged to lobby for the return of international  cricket to the troubled country after being appointed as the  national cricket board’s chief operating officer yesterday.

“My priority as COO is the promotion of cricket and also to  work with the chairman (Ejaz Butt) on trying to convince the  International Cricket Council and member boards to resume  international cricket in Pakistan,” Bari, 61, said. Pakistan became a no-go zone for international sporting  events after seven Pakistanis were killed and six Sri Lanka  cricket players were injured during an armed attack on their  team bus as they travelled to a test match in Lahore in March.

Bari, named COO after ex-Pakistan test player Salim Altaf’s  sacking last week, was a wicketkeeper who played 81 tests and 51  one-day internationals and also served as the country’s chief  selector at the last two World Cups in 2003 and 2007.

He is stepping down as Pakistan Cricket Board director of  human resources and takes up his new role immediately.