Australian tour of Pakistan

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Train Driver
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Australian tour of Pakistan

Post by Train Driver »

A report on cricinfo today is saying that it is looking more unlikely that the Australian tour scheduled for March and April will go ahead.

After receiving a letter from Cricket Australia the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf has said that although Australia reiterated their commitment to supporting Pakistani cricket that CA had received security briefings advising them against touring.

A CA security delegation is due to visit Pakistan after the February 18th elections but Pakistani sources feel that CA have already made the decision to cancel the tour regardless.

I know that Australia are a far bigger draw than Zimbabwe, and may raise more passion in the local population, but the Zim tour appeared to go off without the slightest security problem.

Are Australia being overly sensitive in their apparent stance or would they be justified in cancelling ?, I personally would have thought that the situation after the election should be the main thing to consider.

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maehara
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Re: Australian tour of Pakistan

Post by maehara »

Train Driver wrote:A CA security delegation is due to visit Pakistan after the February 18th elections but Pakistani sources feel that CA have already made the decision to cancel the tour regardless.
If I read the Future Tours Agreement correctly, it would take an adverse assessment by an ICC-appointed security company before CA could pull out - unless the PCB agreed to 'postpone' the series. CA's own security folks can recommend a further assessment, but their word on its own isn't enough to cancel the tour without the non-compliance fines kicking in. I doubt the PCB are inclined to play ball at the moment, so I'm curious to see how this one plays out...
I know that Australia are a far bigger draw than Zimbabwe
This may be CA's approach, although not in playing terms - without wanting to get too much into the politics thing, they could argue that in addition to any other security issues in the country, Australian troops played a role in Iraq and that would make Australians in general a target of terrorist groups known to operate in Pakistan. Therefore, even though Zim's tour passed without incident, an Aussie tour may not. The PCB, on the other hand, will be holding up the Zimbabwe tour as proof that their security arrangements are up to the job.
Are Australia being overly sensitive in their apparent stance or would they be justified in cancelling ?, I personally would have thought that the situation after the election should be the main thing to consider.
I'll take the coward's approach and pass on that question. :) I can see arguments on both sides of this one - easy for me to say the tour should go ahead when I'm sitting safely in Ireland.

Train Driver
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Re: Australian tour of Pakistan

Post by Train Driver »

On cricinfo today a report that states Cricket Australia is to send a security team to Pakistan to assess the tour venues and, subject to their findings, the tour will go ahead but reduced from 48 to 30 days.

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Re: Australian tour of Pakistan

Post by Train Driver »

I see that Cricket Australia have finally made a decision to 'postpone' the tour on the grounds of security and safety, cricinfo reports that PCB and CA are looking to try and reschedule for either November 2008 or March 2009.

I hadn't realised that the Champions Trophy was due to be hosted in Pakistan, I expect that ICC are hoping that the country has settled down well before the tournament dates in September/October or they will have to be looking at a new venue.

Seedings for the Trophy have been announced today with Australia (1), India (4), Pakistan (5) and West Indies (8) in Group A and South Africa (2), New Zealand (3), Sri Lanka (6) and England (7) in Group B.

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