Australia unlikely to tour Pakistan

Australia in Pakistan 2007-08

Australia unlikely to tour Pakistan

Osman Samiuddin

February 12, 2008

Heavy security enveloped the South African team on their visit to Pakistan in September-October 2007 AFP

Australia's tour to Pakistan, scheduled for March-April, is looking increasingly doubtful following last week's meeting between the chairmen of both boards in Dubai.

Following the interaction, Creagh O'Connor, the Cricket Australia (CA) chairman, sent a letter to the Pakistan board expressing reservations about the security situation inside Pakistan.

"We received a letter yesterday from CA following our meeting and though they reiterated their commitment to supporting Pakistan cricket, they said that security briefings they have received in Australia are advising them against touring," Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, told Cricinfo.

A CA security delegation is due to visit the country in the aftermath of general elections, to be held on February 18. But a report in the Urdu daily Jang said CA were unsure whether sending a delegation would serve any purpose now, indicating perhaps that a decision to not tour had already been made.

"They have asked us whether we still want a security delegation sent here and if so when," Ashraf said. "In response to this, we have told CA that we still firmly believe that the environment for cricket and cricketers is still safe here. We have also said that the security team should visit Pakistan from February 25, exactly one week after the elections."

Australian players have expressed concerns about touring Pakistan for what would be their first tour in a decade, following a year of increasing violence and instability through the country. Despite this South Africa and Zimbabwe have both completed tours in recent months without any glitches.

But privately, board officials now concede that the tour is becoming an unlikely prospect and the board has already insured the series, in anticipation of a cancellation. "Certainly public utterances coming from Australia seem quite indicative of them not wanting to tour Pakistan so it wouldn't be a surprise if they pulled out," one official told Cricinfo.

Pakistan will, however, continue to press for the tour to go ahead. Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer, is scheduled to meet James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, in Kuala Lumpur and further discuss security arrangements. "We stress that incidents could happen anywhere in the world," Ashraf said. They happen in Sri Lanka, they happened in Glasgow last year when we were there for an ODI and bombs went off in England in 2005 when Australia were there. We have to make decisions not just on perceptions, but ground realities."

"We are making every effort to ensure the tour goes ahead. It would be a big loss to Pakistan cricket if they didn't tour."

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

Cricinfo

Do u think austrailia will tour pakistan?😕 ... I m unsure.. i don't know..😕

I read recently that each Australian player will have a personal bodyguard. Hopefully, they will tour Pakistan. 😊

Aus players are praying that Pakistan series gets cancelled, that'll allow them to play in IPL and earn large sums of money.

i hope it gets cancelled so pakistan can then play india as alternative plan

GOOD news for pak/indo fansss!!!!

Pakistan mull ODIs with India if Australia pull out

Cricinfo staff

February 15, 2008



The Indian team may well be playing an ODI series in Pakistan in case Australia don't tour in March-April AFP




Pakistan are considering inviting India for a quickfire series of ODIs if, as is becoming increasingly likely, Australia pull out of their scheduled tour in March-April.

Doubts about whether Australia will come for their first tour in nearly a decade have increased day-by-day over the last week, the latest coming from Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain.

The Pakistan board has all along insisted its priority is to get Australia to come to visit, but has privately admitted they are working on alternative options, which include inviting another country over.

And a well-placed source revealed to Cricinfo that informal talks had been held with the BCCI about a series of ODIs in Pakistan in case Australia don't come.

"There have been informal discussions with the BCCI but nothing has been firmed up. Things will become clearer in a day or so," the source said. "The first priority is still to get Australia to come over but if they don't come, options have to be and are being examined."

Two PCB officials, including the chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi are currently touring India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for bilateral board talks regarding scheduling ahead of an ICC meeting to devise the Future Tours Programme (FTP) till 2013. The ostensible purpose of the mission is to fill the gaps in Pakistan's schedule in the current FTP.

The current Pakistan administration is said to be unhappy over their predecessor's work on the last FTP, which has left Pakistan with a number of gaps in their cricketing calendar. "Pakistan played half the number of Tests that Australia did according to that FTP and that is something that needs to be rectified," the source said. But as a result of Australia's hesitancy, the trip has become an opportunity for Pakistan to try and arrange an alternative contest with countries who are free in March-April.

Both boards, however, are officially denying the development. India, as ever, is hemmed in by a hectic schedule. Between their return from Australia and the first Test against South Africa, an ODI series, even just across the border, seems unlikely. "It's not possible," a senior BCCI official told Cricinfo. "The Indian team returns from Australia on March 8 and the first Test against South Africa starts in Chennai on March 26. Where is the time?"

Ahsan Malik, the PCB spokesman, explained the board's focus was on getting Australia over. "This is an official trip with regards to the FTP till 2013. They wanted to meet boards and have a pre-scheduling round of meetings with them. Our full concentration is on playing Australia."

Cricinfo

ya every time a non asian Country try 2 tour bt end havin concern of Security dats very BAd PAki sports