KARACHI, 18 February 2004 — India have asked the Pakistan cricket board not to schedule any Test matches during their ice-breaking tour of Pakistan next month in the volatile cities of Karachi and Peshawar.
“The Indians want to restrict the length of stay of their teams in these two cities and want to play One-Day Internationals in Karachi and Peshawar instead of Test matches,” PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan told Reuters yesterday.
“I have had a discussion with the Indian board president Jagmohan Dalmiya and he has asked us to see what can be done to avoid a long stay for the Indian team in both cities.”
The southern port city of Karachi, which has seen repeated attacks by militants in past two years, and Peshawar, near the Afghan border, were both avoided by South Africa and New Zealand on recent tours.
Khan said the PCB was seeking government advice on the Indian request.
“It is a sensitive issue since Karachi and Peshawar are major venues, but we also have to keep in mind Indian sensitivities,” he said.
Khan said that if the Indian board wanted, the PCB would be willing to provide special protection units for their senior players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly.
Security Concerns Delay Pakistan Tour Itinerary
In New Delhi, cricket officials from India and Pakistan are set for another round of shadow boxing this week as they iron out the itinerary for next month’s Test series in Pakistan.
Even though the Indian government on Saturday ended weeks of speculation by clearing the ice-breaking tour, the respective cricket boards failed to reach an agreement on where the matches should be played.
The bone of contention is the southern metropolis of Karachi and the north-western city of Peshawar, where South Africa and New Zealand declined to play earlier this season because of security concerns.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants two of the three Test matches to be hosted at these venues, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would prefer to play only one-day matches there.
“Yes, nothing is finalized yet,” conceded Amrit Mathur, who was part of the three-member BCCI delegation which returned from Pakistan on Monday after a tour of prospective venues. The delegation, which included a security expert from the federal Home Ministry, will submit a report to the government in the next two days.
“We have reservations about Karachi and Peshawar as venues for Test matches since that will involve a week’s stay for the team at either place,” Mathur told AFP.
“But I am sure a solution will be found.”
Meanwhile, India’s Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani rubbished media reports that Indian security experts will accompany the Indian cricketers on the tour.
“I have seen reports in the media. No Indian security officials will travel with the Indian cricket team to Pakistan,” Advani told reporters here.
Pakistan Feel Need for Speed Ahead of Series With India
Pakistan have drafted two up-and-coming pace bowlers into their training camp ahead of next month’s historic Test series with India, an official said yesterday.
Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Samiul Hasan said Mohammad Khalil and Zahid Saeed had been invited to train with the national side in order to benefit from coaching clinics given by former Test stars Imran Khan and Wasim Akram.
“Khalil and Saeed have shown good form in the domestic season and since Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have agreed to give tips to fast bowlers it would be ideal for these two to get the needed guidance,” Hasan said.
