KARACHI, 31 July 2005 — Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has criticized his country’s cricket authorities for allowing England to play just one tour match in the southern city of Karachi.
“It would have been better to scrap the tour,” Miandad told yesterday.
“The (Pakistan Cricket) Board has not done any service to the country by bowing to the pressure of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
“The board has to take a stand or the image of Pakistan and Karachi will continue to suffer as touring sides dictate where they want to play.”
England rejected proposals to play a Test or two One-Day Internationals in the volatile port city because of security concerns but have agreed to play a one-dayer in Karachi on Dec. 15. England’s tour of Pakistan, starting on Oct. 26, will include three Tests at Multan, Faisalabad and Lahore and five One-Day Internationals — at Karachi and two each at Lahore and Rawalpindi.
Miandad, who played 124 Tests for his country, said Pakistan should have told the ECB to play more matches in Karachi or face a boycott by Pakistan of their scheduled tour to England next year. He added the attacks in London on July 7 had shown no country or city was safe. “Every cricket playing nation has a duty to give the message: ‘We are not going to be deterred’,” said Miandad.
