Zimbabwe coach DAV Whatmore expected tour of Pakistan later this month to be a "tremendous success" and said he would not travel if he believed that life is in danger.
Zimbabwe will be the first country to do the tour of Pakistan since an armed attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 left seven players injured and six policemen in addition to the killing of two civilians.
Leave the team on Sunday to play two T20, starting on May 22, and a three-match one-day international series, which begins four days later.
"I'm totally behind this round, and I think it will be a tremendous success" Whatmore was born of Sri Sri, who coached Pakistan for two years from 2012, told Reuters by telephone from Harare.
"I understand others feel differently, but I would not put anyone else in an unsafe environment. I understand the significance of the tour to Pakistan and I am very happy to go.
"We have a full member state play international cricket in Lahore and the state of Punjab is very important for Pakistan cricket and transcend."
The delegation includes Director of Zimbabwe cricket administration Alastair Campbell traveled to Lahore in the last week, and expressed satisfaction with the security measures to be placed by the local authorities.
Zimbabwe national team on Tuesday sees the return of a number of experienced players.
Aggressive in the middle of the order batsman Charles Coventry return after four years away from the team, having rejected the opportunity to participate in the World Cup Twenty20 2014.
Legspinner Graeme Cremer left cricket golf in the past year but is now back with the ball in his hand after he failed to continue his career with the club, while there is a first set of batting allrounder Roy Kaya.
A big blow
"I've been bringing in all these boys because of their performance, Kaya was top scorer in the competition-term local Pro50, and had an average of 70," said Whatmore.
"Coventry returned specially to T20 team was playing well, and Graeme Cremer could be added great value and settled in beautifully."
This first round will be without champion batsman Brendan Taylor, who retired from international cricket after the World Cup finals over 50 earlier this year.
Whatmore concerned about who can fill his shoes.
"It's a big blow to lose him ... a big blow. Difficult to cover for someone like that in a short period of time, but we can only try our best."
Will tour to Pakistan will be the first of its kind for Whatmore since he signed a new contract for four years to train Zimbabwe after his contract expired in the short term at the end of the World Cup.
He is excited by the potential he sees in Zimbabwe cricket and the short-term goal is to help improve the ranking of their ODI.
"I think it's really the challenge, a different type of challenge to most places," said the former Australia batsman.
"Ranked number 11 in Zimbabwe in ODI cricket and this is unacceptable, and the thing that has to be changed.
"But there is a real possibility here to move forward, and I would not have signed if I did not believe it. But this is something that needs time."
Thursday, 14 May 2015
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