Benazir Bhutto assasinated - Pakistan tour might be off

[brmtaylor.com admin]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/New ... 656648.cms

Zimbabwe is scheduled to tour Pakistan in January 2008 while a series with Australia is slated for March 2008. Both tours look unlikely after Thursday’s mayhem and carnage. The Zimbabwe series is likely to be postponed, while Australia, which was unwilling to tour even before Thursday, is likely to forfeit the series.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

More confusion. Apparently 4 hours ago the PCB confirmed the schedule - although it is quite likely that any delays will now be from the Zimbabwe players and board.

http://thepost.com.pk/SportsNews.aspx?d ... 81&catid=5

Jan 14-17: Four-day game against Patrons XI at NBP ground Karachi.
Jan 22-24: 3-day game against Governor Sindh XI at Asghar Al Shah stadium Karachi.
Jan 26: 1st ODI at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad.
Jan 29: 2nd ODI (day and night) at National Stadium Karachi.
Feb 1: 3rd ODI at Multan Cricket Stadium
Feb 3: 4th ODI at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad
Feb 4: 5th ODI at Sheikhupura Stadium.

No Twenty20 on the programme either.

[maehara]

If it's up to ZC to make a call on security grounds, then I'd be willing to put money down that the tour will go ahead - they won't want to give anyone the opportunity to use the same "excuse" to avoid a tour to Zimbabwe. Although I suppose it depends on whether things on the ground get out-of-hand in the next few days...

[Kopje]

I think ZC needs to appoint a security delegation to asses the situation in Pakistan. I remember i once said something about the security issue in Pakistan in one of the previous discussions . Since ZC has always had good relationships with Asian boards, denouncing Pakistan as "unsafe" to tour, is the last thing on their minds, since it relies on support from them especially on their current status in international cricket right now. At the end of the day , we would just have to wait to hear on what the ICC has to say about this. I think ZC will try by all means to have the team tour Pakistan, i hope they don't gamble with the team 's security at the same time.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I think the board will want the tour to go ahead - the players on the other hand may feel safer at home. It will be interesting to see what happens. Personally, I expect it will go ahead.

[Maraicha]

I wonder why Steven Price, cricinfo, relishes writing crap about Zim cricket. We all know that the security situation in Pakistan is bad but hey for him to always wish that zim doesnt play any top sides is rather unfortunate. You can tell this tone in all his articles. I just hope the situation gets better and that the tour goes ahead.

[Kopje]

I wonder why Steven Price, cricinfo, relishes writing crap about Zim cricket. We all know that the security situation in Pakistan is bad but hey for him to always wish that zim doesnt play any top sides is rather unfortunate. You can tell this tone in all his articles. I just hope the situation gets better and that the tour goes ahead.

I once heared that Ozias Bvute contacted Cricinfo wanting to know the whereabouts of Steven Price in Zimbabwe. Cricinfo 's refusal to pass the details are probably one of the reasons why ZC was refusing to directlty cooperate or release media statements on Cricinfo. Yea i agree, sometimes i don't like what Steven writes.

[maehara]

I once heared that Ozias Bvute contacted Cricinfo wanting to know the whereabouts of Steven Price in Zimbabwe. Cricinfo 's refusal to pass the details are probably one of the reasons why ZC was refusing to directlty cooperate or release media statements on Cricinfo. Yea i agree, sometimes i don't like what Steven writes.

Some of his articles are quite good (his review of the year that appeared earlier today, for a start), but he does seem to be more negative than positive. It's his sort of downbeat writing that was one of the reasons I started zimcricketnews in the first place...

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I think he's actually pretty good. Most of his articles are quite attacking, but that is what he is paid to do. He needs to address the tough questions. He is perhaps too negative, but he offers an alternate viewpoint.

[maehara]

And confirmation from Chingoka himself that the tour is on:

"We are definitely going ahead with the tour," Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, told reporters in Cape Town. "ZC has an obligation to fulfil its obligations under the Future Tours programme."